Jakarta, Dec. 14 -- Indonesia's state food logistics agency Bulog has begun pre-positioning up to 50 tonnes of rice at airports and seaports across Sumatra and at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to accelerate food aid deliveries to disaster-hit areas, its chief said Sunday.

Bulog President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani said regional units had been instructed to maintain emergency rice stocks of at least 20 tonnes and up to 50 tonnes at all airports and ports in disaster-prone areas to ensure rapid deployment when needed.

He said the move was designed to anticipate sudden demand for air- or sea-lifted aid to isolated districts such as Bener Meriah, Takengon, Agam and Central Tapanuli, where road access has been cut by prolonged and...