Semarang City Government Immediately Holds Market Operations To Overcome Rice Price Increases

Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu. BETWEEN/Zuhdiar Laeis

SEMARANG - Semarang City Government, Central Java, will immediately hold a market operation to overcome the increase in rice prices in the market, so that people can get food commodities at affordable prices.

"Yes, that's why tomorrow we will count everything. I will close with friends, everywhere that is needed (market operations)," said Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 12.

From the results of the monitoring of the relevant regional apparatus organizations (OPD), he said, the highest retail price for medium class rice was still at Rp. 10,900 per kilogram, while the premium was Rp. 12,600 per kg.

"However, now it has started to creep up," said Ita, Hevearita's nickname.

To facilitate the community, he said the Cheap and Safe People's Food Market (Pak Rahman) program also continued to take turns in each region.

"Pak Rahman is still going on, yes, keep going. Thursday (14/9/2023) will be in South Semarang. So, whoever needs it, we will immediately run it," he said.

Another step to reduce commodity prices, he said, was also carried out by facilitating distribution to help farmers' enterprises (BUMP) so that rice prices were maintained.

"We are helping the BUMP so that this price (rice) can not go up with transportation assistance. Then, packaging costs, so the increase is not high because the distribution has been facilitated," he said.

He admitted that the increase in rice prices as a strategic food commodity had indeed begun to creep up as a whole, including in the city of Semarang.

However, he said, the monitoring of stock in Bulog has so far been sufficient and until next December it is certain that it can still be fulfilled so there is no need to worry.

"From the information from the Head of the Food Security Service, Bulog is still sufficient for the position of Semarang City," he said.

The government's food reserve rice assistance (CPP) from the community as stated in total there are 21 million families, he said, has also begun to decline in Semarang.

In addition, Ita also expects the public to promote the Semarang City Food Love Movement (Garang Asem) in the midst of rising rice prices.

"That's why, we also ask, let's move the Garang Asem movement. We don't waste rice because now all places in Indonesia the price of rice has started to rise," he said.