The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Airlangga Hartarto, announced plans to re-import 3 million tons of rice in 2024 to address a rice deficit caused by El Nino. Last year, the country imported around 3.5 million tons of rice, with 3 million tons having already arrived and 500 thousand expected to arrive in January. This import program aims to reduce the impact of El Nino, which caused a national rice deficit of up to 2.3 million tons, and ensure sufficient rice supplies in the country.