Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in Bengkulu province will increase rice stock to anticipate increasing demand of local people during the fasting month and Lebaran festivity, Bulog spokesman Arsyad said here on Wedndesday.
ArsyAd said that Bulog in August would bring in around 7,500 tons of rice from Java to increase the stock in Jambi province.
But he said the port in Pulau Baai, Bengkulu, has yet to become normal so the ship which was to transport the 7,500 tons of rice would probably unable to anchor at the port which was being dredged.
Therefore he said some of the rice would be transported overland and the rest would be carried by ship to Bengkulu.
"We hope the dredging of the port will soon be completed so that the 7,500 tons of rice can be brought in by the end of this month," Arsyad said.
Speaking about the rice stock in Bengkulu, Arsyad said there was no problem because to date the province has 10,000 tons of rice.
"The available stock does not include the additional one from Java, and if it all arrives then the rice stock in Bengkulu will be more than 20,000 tons," Arsyad said.
He added that such an amount of rice stock in the province would be sufficient to meet the demand of local people until Christmas and New Year 2012.
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