A vendor waits for customers at his stall that sells rice and other grains at a market in Jakarta, Indonesia, Aug 14, 2022. (PHOTO / AP)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Monday that the country was eyeing rice imports from other Asian countries such as China, India, Cambodia and Bangladesh to meet the rising domestic demand.

This is also to ensure that we have reserves of stock to prevent an increase in prices because production is expected to decline due to El Nino.

Joko Widodo, Indonesian President 

Widodo said during his visit to the warehouse of the country's National Logistics Agency (Bulog) in Bogor, West Java province, that the agency currently had no less than 1.6 million tons of rice in storage, which was enough to meet the current needs.

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However, he said, imports were still necessary to deal with the impact of El Nino this year and to secure supplies for up to next year.

"This is also to ensure that we have reserves of stock to prevent an increase in prices because production is expected to decline due to El Nino," Widodo told reporters.

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Regarding the import plan, Widodo said he had talked about it with other Asian countries' leaders during the 43rd ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Jakarta last week.