According to recent data released by the BPS agency, from January to August 2024, Indonesia imported 3.05 million tons of rice worth $1.91 billion. This figure is up by over 121% compared to the same period last year and contributed 1.5% to Indonesia’s total non-oil and gas imports.
Mr. Pudji Ismartini, Deputy for Statistics and Distribution at BPS, stated that from January to August 2024, the top three rice suppliers to Indonesia were: Thailand in first place with 1.13 million tons of rice exported to Indonesia valued at over $734 million; followed by Vietnam with 870,000 tons worth more than $542 million; and Pakistan in third place with 460,000 tons valued at over $290 million.
Indonesia has imported 3.05 million tons of rice in the past eight months – Illustration photo: Tempo
The increased rice import demand from Indonesia presents opportunities for Vietnamese rice exporters. The National Logistics Agency of Indonesia (Bulog) has recently announced a tender for rice procurement in September, with the highest volume ever of 450,000 tons of 5% broken rice from the 2024 crop. As per Indonesia’s requirements, the rice must originate from Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, or Pakistan, and delivery is expected in October and November this year.
BPS agency revealed that the total value of Indonesia’s food imports in the first eight months of 2024 reached $14.48 billion, up by 3.43% compared to the same period in 2023. In addition to rice, the other significantly imported commodities by Indonesia include sugar and wheat. Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of $2.9 billion in August 2024, marking the 52nd consecutive month of trade surplus for the country.
