Makassar (ANTARA News) - Agriculture Minister Suswono said national rice production has remained safe despite harvest failures in some regions due to weather problems.

"The failures resulting from natural disasters only comprised one percent of national production," he said after inspecting grand harvest in Wajo, South Sulawesi, here on Saturday.

He said Wajo which is one of the main rice producing regions in South Sulawesi was not affected by the protracted rainy season.

"The long rainy season has even expanded planting as well as harvest areas in Wajo. The region has so far only enjoyed harvests twice a year from its rain-fed fields but now it can harvest three times," he said.

Suswono said national rice supply had increased by 1.17 percent meaning there were 5.6 million tons of rice supply until the end of the year.

"By domestic standards the amount is enough for meeting self needs,"he said.

The minister said under the current weather conditions strengthening rice supply would be very important.

The National Logistics Agency (Bulog) has until now kept 1.4 million tons of rice but the stock would continue to be used.

This means, he said, Bulog must accelerate its buying. "As many regions are still harvesting Bulog should immediately absorb the harvest as much as possible," he said.

He said with its Public Service Obligation funds and national reserves Bulog had a sufficient budget for it as well as for stabilizing the price. The government itself has prepared Rp1 trillion to maintain price stability.

Bulog's chief Sutarto Alimoeso said its national rice supply until now reached 1.8 million tons and 100,000 of them is contributed by South Sulawesi. "Our stock is enough for five months until early February," he said.

He said Bulog is ready to take in production as much as the national target of 3.2 million tons.

Regarding its low absorption of rice from farmers he said it had to do with quality problems. "If production is not quite good there will certainly be competition and therefore we have cooperated with regional administrations and farmer groups to keep the quality of farmers' rice improving," he said. (H-YH/HAJM)