Ministry Of Agriculture Brings Good News: Rice Stock Is Safe For Christmas And 2022 New Year

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture has ensured that rice stocks will face Christmas and the new year of 2022 until next year's harvest season is in a safe condition.

"Our national rice production this year has increased from last year, so we don't have to worry about stock shortages," said the Head of the Food Distribution and Access Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, Risfaheri in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Friday, December 24.

Based on KSA BPS data, rice production in 2021 will reach 31.68 million tons, an increase of 0.35 million tons from rice production in 2020 of 31.33 million tons, with a surplus in the current year up to December reaching 1.65 million tons.

If added to the initial stock in 2021 (carry over in 2020) which reached 7.32 tons according to the calculation of the Food Security Agency, then the total surplus of rice this year from the current year surplus and carry over in 2020 can meet rice needs for a minimum of three months into the future. future because the demand for rice is only around 2.5 million tons per month.

BPS predicts that production-consumption in January 2022 will still be negative, while production-consumption in February 2022 will have a surplus. Estimated domestic rice production in Jan-Feb 2022 is around 3.4 million tons.

"This means that our surplus in the previous year was more than sufficient to cover the production shortage in January 2022," said Risfaheri.

Based on Stock Monitoring data (Simonstok) of the Food Security Agency until the second week of December 2021, rice stock is estimated to reach 7.5 million tons, with details of stock at Bulog 1.1 million tons, households 4 million tons, milling 1.3 million tons, traders 723 thousand tons, PIBC 32 thousand tons, Horeka 323 thousand tons, and in the Community Food Barn (LPM) 12 thousand tons.

Regarding the dynamics of rice prices, the average price of rice at the milling and retail levels is predicted to remain stable until December 2021, with an upward trend of 0.01 to 0.03 percent. A slight upward trend at the end of the year until the harvest season is common. Stable rice prices cannot be separated from the influence of sufficient and safe national rice stock conditions.

"So people don't need to worry about the stock and availability of rice ahead of this Christmas and New Year celebration," he said.

Rice trader at Cipinang Rice Main Market (PIBC) Nellys said that the supply of rice at PIBC is safe. He said the rice stock at PIBC as of Thursday, December 23, was 33 thousand tons, above the normal stock condition of 30 thousand tons.

"Rice supply to PIBC is currently safe, there is indeed an increase in demand to meet the supply of Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) and PPKM assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs which will be held this December," he said.

It was also reported that there was an increase in demand for rice from BPNT and Horeka in December 2021.

Against this increase in demand, Plt. Head of the Food Security Agency, Sarwo Edhy, said that his party continues to monitor so that the increase in demand does not have an impact on a drastic price spike.

"As directed by Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, we will continue to make efforts to monitor so that people can carry out Christmas and New Year calmly and safely," he said.