JAKARTA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government plans to import 500,000 ton of rice and staple food to stabilize the rising rice price, Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said here on Thursday.
Rice is the main food of most Indonesians. Its price surge could significantly stimulate inflation and affect purchasing power.
"After we announced the plan to import rice, the up-trend ends and the price is down. But volatility remains," Lukita said.
Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati confirmed that such policy aims at stabilizing rice price.
"Last month we got warning that the hike had started. Therefore, the government's decision is to focus on efforts to stabilize the price these months," Mulyani said.
Indonesia's rice price with medium quality has reached its highest level in five years, data showed.
The Food and Agriculture Organization has recommended Indonesia to increase its rice stockpile to 1.1 to 1.8 million ton, which is much lower at present.
