Dried Unhulled Rice Is Not Absorbed By Bulog, Farmers In Lebak Banten Screaming Because Prices Continue To Slump

BANTEN - The price of dry unhulled rice in Lebak Regency, Banten since the last three weeks has fallen to Rp. 4,000/kilogram, so that farmers' incomes in the August 2021 harvest have decreased compared to last June with the price of rice at Rp. 5,000/kg.

"The decline in the price of grain is because Perum Bulog does not absorb unhulled rice and the basic supplies of rice for the community are also quite abundant," said H Samad (55), a farmer in Kalanganyar, Lebak Regency, as quoted by Antara, Sunday, August 8.

The price of dry unhulled rice Rp4,000/kg causes farmers to not make much profit, while production costs, such as fertilizers, pesticides and wages actually increase.

It is estimated that the average production cost of rice plants is Rp. 10 million per hectare. If the price of dry unhulled rice is sold at Rp.4,000/kg with a production of five tons/hectare, the farmer's income is Rp.20 million/hectare.

From the Rp20 million, he said, the production cost was cut by Rp10 million so that the farmer's income was Rp10 million/hectare. "If the income is IDR 10 million, then the income of farmers for four months (from planting to harvesting) is an average of IDR 2.5 million / month," he said.

So do other farmers. Ahmad said the price of grain harvested in August fell from Rp. 5,000 to Ro4,000/kg. According to him, the price of dry unhulled rice in June 2021 will benefit farmers by Rp. 5,000/kg.

"We sell rice with a production of six tons to produce Rp. 30 million/hectare," he said.

Ruhyana (55), a collecting trader, a resident of Kalanganyar, Lebak Regency, said that he is now collecting dry unhulled rice from farmers at a price of Rp. 4,000/kg, because the demand for rice is relatively low.

"We currently accommodate up to 10 tons of rice harvested by farmers," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Warehouse for Perum Bulog, Malingping, Lebak Regency, Dodi, said that the current central policy did not absorb grain or rice from farmers' crops.

Currently, he said, the stock of dry unhulled rice in the warehouse reaches 2,000 tons and has not been used as rice because there is no market demand.

"We can re-absorb farmers' grain and rice if there is market demand," he said.