Rice Prices In Jakarta Continue To Soar, DKI Provincial Government Asked To Immediately Operate Markets

Activities at Cipinang Main Market/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio/ VOI

JAKARTA - Rice prices in Jakarta, especially at the Cipinang Rice Main Market, East Jakarta, continue to increase. Secretary General of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (DPP IKAPPI) Reynaldi Sarijowan urged the DKI Provincial Government to immediately carry out market operations. The DKI Provincial Government, said Reynaldi, needs to instruct the BUMD Perumda Pasar Jaya to try to get rice distribution so that market operations can be carried out. "The operation in the market and immediately given to basic food traders, rice traders. PD Pasar Jaya cannot be silent and must try to solve the rice problem," Reynaldi told reporters, Wednesday, September 6. Reynaldi said that Bulog had actually imported Rp1.6 million tons of rice to meet national food needs. According to him, rice stocks in Bulog's warehouse can be directly distributed in the midst of the high price of these food commodities. "The question is simple, where has the import of rice claimed by Bulog 1.6 million tons been distributed," he said. Furthermore, Reynaldi emphasized, currently the price of rice has soared. One of them, the highest increase occurred in medium rice which exceeded the highest retail price (HET) of Rp. 10,900. "This is the highest and record in the history of medium rice prices reaching 12,500," he said. Complaints on the increase in rice prices have not only been expressed by the public as consumers. A number of rice traders at a number of kiosks also complained. According to traders, the price of rice has been increasing for more than a month. Fauzi (48), a basic food trader, said the price increase was due to the long dry season drought that hit several areas. "The price (rice) is now 604 thousand (50 liters of retail size), previously 500 thousand. Now it continues to rise every day, the impact of the dry season is very pronounced," he told reporters at the location, Tuesday, September 5. The impact of the long dry season, he continued, is that rice farmers also have difficulty getting maximum harvest. In addition, the price of rice with the lowest quality is now the same as the quality of good rice.

"I can sell 58 liters, now I sell 11 thousand liters, usually when selling rice in this class (low class) 9 thousand, this is the impact of the long dry season which is very cloudy," he said.