Indonesia, the world's fourth-most populous nation, may boost wheat and flour imports 10 percent this year as surging sales of instant noodles and cookies stoke demand, according to an industry group, reported Bloomberg.

Overseas purchases of wheat may gain to 5.06 million metric tons from 4.6 million tons last year, while flour imports may climb to 838,766 tons from 762,515 tons, Ratna Sari Loppies, executive director at the Indonesian Flour Mills Association, said in an interview yesterday.

Increased shipments may help Indonesia to dislodge Japan as Asia's biggest wheat buyer, while benefiting exporters from Australia. The increase may also help to stem a 9.7 percent drop in Chicago prices this year, bolstering global food costs.