Indonesia, Kazakhstan ban grain exports

Jakarta -- Indonesia banned rice exports and Kazakhstan banned wheat exports Tuesday, as the list of nations fighting inflation with food export bans continues to grow.

Vietnam, Egypt, India, and China are among those that have banned rice exports this year, The Financial Times reported.

Indonesia, now added to the list, imported 1.4 million metric tons of rice in 2007, but expected to a bumper crop in 2008.

Inflation in the country reached 8.2 percent in March, an 18-month high, the report said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.