Indonesian state logistics agency Bulog said on Wednesday it had received bids from six trading houses for a 250,000 MT rice import tender for delivery between January and March.

The rice import tender is part of a government plan to import 500,000 MT of rice to cover an expected shortfall in domestic rice output this year.

The rest will be imported through government-to-government deals with Vietnam. Bulog wants to buy 15 per cent broken grade rice from Thailand and Vietnam on a cost, insurance and freight basis.

The rice should be from the latest crop in 2006 and milled in the last three to four months.