September 19, 2011
Indonesia's wheat imports likely to increase 9% this year
Indonesian wheat imports may reach five million tonnes in 2011, increasing 9% from last year due to rising domestic consumption and declining imports of wheat flour, a senior industry executive said.
"So far we are importing more than 400,000 tonnes wheat on an average every month and seem to be on track to reach five million tonnes," Franciscus Welirang, chairman of Indonesia's flour mills association, Aptindo said.
Indonesia is one of Asia's largest wheat and wheat flour importers, and its purchases of the grain are steadily growing each year from the international market as consumers turn to noodles from rice to cut their monthly food bill amid high inflation.