National Food Agency Ensures IPH Rice is Still Under Control, 5.2 Million Tons in Stock

JAKARTA - The National Food Agency (Bapanas) ensures that the Rice Price Development Index (IPH) is still under control as the government rice reserves (CBP) strengthen to 5.2 million tons to maintain national food stability.

The Chief Secretary (Sestama) of Bapanas, Sarwo Edhy, said in an analysis conducted by Bapanas, there were only 55 regencies/cities throughout Indonesia that experienced an increase in rice IPH until early July 2026 with conditions exceeding the highest retail price (HET) of medium rice.

"The rest are still in the medium rice HET corridor," said Sarwo when confirmed in Jakarta, Thursday.

He said the government continued to maintain rice price stability through the implementation of an intervention program with the CBP stock as of July 7, 2026 reaching 5.2 million tons.

According to him, with a solid food reserve, production continues to increase, distribution is getting stronger, and collaboration, the government is optimistic that the community's food needs will continue to be met and the national food stability will continue to be well maintained.

"So the government through Bapanas believes that rice prices can be maintained even during the dry season or El Nino," said Sarwo.

In the Bapanas record, since January, the total intervention of the CBP nationally has reached 1.36 million tons, consisting of the realization of the sale of rice in the Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) program in January and February with 221,05 thousand tons. Then SPHP rice from March to July has been 431,6 thousand tons.

For the food assistance program, the allocation for February and March has been finalized until the end of June. The realization has reached 33.14 million beneficiary families with a total of 662,860 tons of rice distributed.

The rest, CBP is channeled for the ASN budget group program in certain areas of 42,43 thousand tons and natural disasters of 11,37 thousand tons.

In addition, Bapanas together with local governments and all stakeholders have carried out more than 5,573 cheap food movements (GPM) in 37 provinces and more than 378 regencies/cities.

As a continuity of the food assistance program, the government has decided to implement the rice food assistance program again starting July 2026 for a period of 3 months.

The total rice to be distributed reaches 997.3 thousand tons, so that the government until the end of 2026 will at least disburse rice food assistance to the community up to 1.66 million tons.

Previously, the Head of Bapanas and Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that rice was no longer a commodity that contributed the largest share of inflation.

"Rice inflation has been successfully suppressed in the last 2 years," said Amran.

The national distribution condition is reported to be quite under control. This is seen in the announcement of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) which conveyed the number of regencies/cities with an increase in rice IPH has decreased until the first week of July 2026.

BPS Distribution and Services Statistics Deputy Ateng Hartono stated that there were 113 regencies/cities that experienced an increase in rice IPH. This condition has decreased compared to the end of June 2026 which still had 138 regencies/cities with an increase in rice IPH.

"There are 2 commodities that need attention, namely rice and cooking oil, even though the change in IPH is relatively low. Rice also experiences inflation but not too high," said BPS Deputy Head Ateng at an inflation control meeting quoted in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/7).

"For rice, it is still at position 113 (regencies/cities). (However) if we look at the price movement for IPH rice according to the province, it is relatively not too high," said Ateng as reported by Antara.