Badanas Boss Considers Raising Medium Rice HET
Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said he would consider increasing the highest retail price (HET) of medium rice.
However, he said there would be consequences for rising prices in the market.
Arief's statement responded to requests from a number of rice traders and observers about the increase in the HET of medium rice.
"Heet of medium rice is increased, yes, we are considering this, everything is possible, why is it impossible," said Arief when met at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 15.
For your information, HET medium rice is divided into three zones. HET Zone 1 is set at IDR 12,500 per kilogram (kg), Zone 2 is IDR 13,100 per kg, and Zone 3 is IDR 13,500 per kg.
The national medium rice HET is set at IDR 12,500 per kg.
Arief admitted that he had long gathered stakeholders in the rice sector.
In April 2025, said Arief, there was also a meeting to discuss the possibility of a rice HET when the price of unhulled rice rose to Rp7,500 per kilogram.
"We discussed how much the unhulled rice reached the level of Rp. 7,000, if the unhulled rice reached the level of Rp. 7,500, how much is the HET? The HET is the highest retail price, the highest is the ceiling, so if for example the medium rice really needs to be reviewed, we will review it," explained Arief.
Arief said, if the HET of medium rice increases, then there will be consequences for rising prices at the consumer level.
Therefore, Arief asked the public not to complain if the price of rice soared.
"When, for example, the medium rice will be Rp. 14,000, don't complain anymore, the government sets the price of medium rice. So what's true is that what should be natural, natural in milling, it's natural in farmers, it's normal in consumers," he said.
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"For example, earlier, the request was to be reviewed, okay, you want to count now, for example, the medium rice is Rp. 14,000, right? You have to sit down. What must be maintained by the Food Agency starts from the farmers, the pangolins are the same downstream," continued Arief.
For your information, citing the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Price Panel, July 15, 2025, the average price of medium rice is Rp. 14,317 per kilogram (kg) or 14.45 percent of the Highest Retail Price (HET).