Corn import growth in Indonesia in 2002

Introduction: Jakarta, Nov 28: US grain trade officials said Wednesday that in 2002, Indonesia's corn import is expected to increase from 975000 tons this year to about 1.1 million tons, while the US market share will increase and China's share will decrease accordingly After China's accession to the world trade organization, restrictions on agricultural export subsidies will force China to reduce corn sales That's what Ali basry, the representative of the United States Grain Council in Indonesia, said "China's accession to the WTO will make more room for American corn," he told Reuters In 2002, Indonesia's corn import is expected to reach 1.1 million tons, and the United States is expected to account for more than half of the share " "By the end of this year, Indonesia will import 975000 tons of corn About 450000 tons or 46 percent of that comes from the United States " According to basry, only 195000 tons were purchased from the United States in 2000 In addition, agricultural export credit guarantee provided by the United States, also known as GSM project, also supports Indonesia's import from the United States *After China's accession to the WTO, it will reduce the export of corn China usually accounts for more than half of the total amount of corn imported from Indonesia, but this year it will give the throne to the United States, mainly because China's corn price is high, and how much corn China can sell is also unknown China exported only 350000 tons of corn to Indonesia this year, compared with 750000 tons in 2000 About 150000 tons were imported from Thailand, and the rest came from South America China's export of corn will decrease next year because it needs to gradually abolish agricultural subsidies, basry said China's accession to the WTO means that China will be bound by the WTO agreement, and has to open the door to open the domestic grain industry with high subsidies to international trade Basry said Indonesia's total imports in 2001 were slightly lower than 980000 tons in 2000 because of high international prices at the beginning of this year, a weakening rupiah and concerns about foot-and-mouth disease, which led to a few months' import ban on South American corn Basry said that the expected increase in corn imports in 2002 is due to the growth of demand in Indonesia's compound feed industry, which is expected to grow by 10 percentage points in 2001 compared with last year's 5 million tons In 1998, Indonesia's compound feed production decreased from a peak of 6.5 million tons before the Asian economic crisis in 1997 to 2.6 million tons Industry insiders point out that they expect consumption and production to reach pre crisis levels next year There are signs that compound feed production will rise to at least near pre crisis levels in 2002, basry said.