Minisry to Probe Alleged Illegal Rice Imports from Vietnam

Sragen, C Java (Antara) - The Trade Ministry is currently investigating the alleged illegal import of Vietnamese rice which had sparked a polemic at the Cipinang wholesale market in East Jakarta. "It is true the Trade Ministry has issued a permit, but (the permit is) only to import special rice. We are still studying where the problem could be," Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi stated after attending a function marking the 6th National Clean Market Day in Central Java's Sragen district on Tuesday. Bayu explained that the ministry had indeed issued a permit to import more than 16 thousand tons of special rice from Vietnam. However, the rice import sparked a polemic following an allegation that the permit had been abused to import rice for non-special purposes. "The quantity of imported rice is right, and so are the importers," he pointed out. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa vowed on Monday to seek clarification from the Trade Ministry on the rice imports. "I will ask for clarification on it. Only Bulog (state logistics board) is allowed to import rice," he noted. Bayu stated that the Trade Ministry, along with relevant agencies including the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Finance Ministry, will investigate the need for Vietnamese rice for non-special purposes. Last year, the Trade Ministry issued a permit to import 16.9 thousand tons of special rice, consisting of 1,845 tons of the Basmati variety and 14,997 tons of the Japonica variety. According to the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the rice imports from Vietnam were shipped 83 times and involved 58 importers other than Bulog. The directorate general denied that the 16.9 thousand tons of rice imported from Vietnam was illegal, arguing that the imports had been handled in line with the standing procedure. "The rice was imported from Vietnam with the headings 1006.30.99.00," Director of Customs and Excise Receipts and Regulation Susiwijono Moegiarso explained. He added that the Vietnamese rice, which flooded the Cipinang market, was not imported illegally. It was imported via Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta and Belawan port in North Sumatra after the importers secured permits from the Trade Ministry. (*)