Bulog boss: Rice is one price for SPHP, not premium

JAKARTA - Perum Bulog President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani revealed that the one-price rice policy would be applied to rice for stabilizing the supply and price of food (SPHP). This means that it is not for premium rice.

"Rice at one price from Sabang to Merauke is SPHP rice, not premium rice, SPHP rice at one price," he said in Jakarta, Monday, January 12.

Bulog, continued Rizal, has also calculated in detail with the internal team to implement one price of SPHP rice throughout Indonesia.

"We have calculated with our staff that we will plan rice at one price," he said.

Rizal said the price of SPHP rice was planned to come out of the Bulog warehouse at a figure of Rp. 11,000 per kilogram (kg). This price applies to all Bulog warehouses throughout the region, ranging from Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku to Papua.

"Sabang Rp11.000, in Java Rp11.000, in Kalimantan Rp11.000. Then in Sulawesi, Maluku and even Papua, the price is Rp11.000 out of the warehouse. But for the retail price, it still follows the highest retail price, namely Rp12.500," he said.

According to Rizal, with this scheme, retailers still get a profit from selling SPHP rice.

"So the retailers get a profit of Rp1,500," he explained.

Previously, the government targeted that the national one-price rice policy could be implemented this year. This policy aims to ensure that rice prices in all regions can be sold at the same price without significant differences due to logistics costs.

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said the concept of one rice price was a reflection of the fuel policy which applied one price.

"We want the price of rice to be the same as the others, one price. Like gasoline. Whether on Java, outside Java, the price is the same," said Zulhas in a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Food and Agriculture Office, Jakarta, Monday, January 12.

Zulhas, as he is affectionately called, said the government would bear the cost of transportation in the scheme of distributing rice at one price. He emphasized that this policy was being tried out thoroughly so that the eastern region would no longer be burdened with higher prices.

"Well, we will try to make rice one price in 2026 wherever it is. Don't let, for example, East Indonesia pay more expensive," he said.

In addition, Zulhas said that to realize this policy, the government considered it necessary to strengthen the role of Perum Bulog. One of them, by taking the business margin so that it is able to carry out the national distribution assignment.

In the meeting which took place today, the government agreed to adjust the Bulog fee margin by 7 percent. This figure is lower than the initial proposal of 10 percent, but is considered sufficient to support Bulog operations while ensuring the running of the one-price rice program.

"It is calculated that between the Minister of Finance, from BPKP to meet the figure of 10 percent requested, but it was agreed that 7 percent would take fees. This is mainly to ensure that the price of rice is one price throughout Indonesia," he said.