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 South Sulawesi Exports Rice to ASEAN Countries

South Sulawesi’s planned rice exports may be realized in the August-September 2009 period.  "Fifty percent of the national export of 100 thousand tons will be contributed by the price produced in South Sulawesi," Head of the Regional Division of South-West Sulawesi Logistics Agency (Bulog) Herman Agus Mahmud  said after the 42th anniversary of Bulog in Makassar Tuesday.
     
He said South Sulawesi will export its rice to Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. He also said that the South-West Sulawesi Bulog is even ready to meet the national rice export quota of 100,000 tons if the other provinces in the country failed to meet the demand from the export market.
     
In the meantime, spokesman for the South-West Sulawesi Bulog Umar Said said despite the planned rice exports, the local Bulog would still focus on meeting the national food stock to which South Sulawesi had made a big contribution.
"Bulog is still considering trade  cooperation with the three Asian countries, especially with regard to their rice consumption," he said.
    
For exports, the central government had determined three main ports, namely Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, and  Soekarno-Hatta in Makassar.  With regard to the central government’s decision to give an opportunity to private businesses in the planned rice exports, it is expected that the central government would review it.
     
"Rice exports through Bulog is easier to control than of other circles who are also given the same opportunity," he said.  In the meantime, the South Sulawesi provincial administration has opened an opportunity for rice export cooperation with private businesses following a decision of the central government allowing the private sector to export rice.
     
South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo said he was ready to open communications with private business interested in exporting rice from the province, especially on the occasion of the April-June 2009 harvest season.

JIM
Sumber : Antara

MAKASSAR, KOMPAS.