REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Hatta Rajasa asked Ministry of Agriculture to investigate rice import of 16,900 tonnes of illegal rice from Vietnam. He said some importers were suspected to misuse rice import license. 

"Ministry of Trade issued the import license based on recommendation from Ministry of Agriculture. As the matter of fact, the Vietnamese rice in Indonesian market is in medium quality instead of premium quality. Then we must check the rice importers," Rajasa said on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Soeswono stressed that his institution had never recommended Vietnamese rice import. Others than State Logistic Agency (Bulog) are not allowed to import medium quality rice unless required and agreed through meeting at the ministry of coordinating minister. Earlier Bulog refuted the allegation on rice import,

Director of Customs and Excise Revenue and Regulation Susiwijono Moegiarso said that the Vietnamese rice import had followed correct procedure by using Indonesia National Single Window portal, except its quality was lower than required. 

The data of Director of Customs and Excise Revenue and Regulation show that 58 companies listed as importer companies which imported rice with HS code 1006.30.99.00 from Vietnam during 2013 through Belawan and Tanjung Priok port.

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