Member Of Commission IV Of The DPR Criticizes The Finding Of Bau Apek Rice In The Middle Of Bulog's Abundant Stock

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Member of Commission IV of the House of Representatives Daniel Johan criticized the findings of the Indonesian Ombudsman which revealed that there was a pile of imported rice in 2024, most of which were more than one year old and started to smell old. According to him, this finding is ironic because the rice stock in Bulog's warehouse is abundant, but the price on the market remains high.

"This is clearly evidence of our weak food management. It is ironic when people scream because the price of rice is expensive, but rice actually accumulates and decreases in quality in warehouses. This is also a waste of the people's budget and neglect of their right to proper food," Daniel told reporters, Wednesday, August 13.

According to Daniel, rice that has been stored for too long without fast distribution not only damages quality, but also burdens the country with high storage costs.

"Food stock management, especially rice, should not be allowed to accumulate until it lowers its quality. This concerns consumer health as well as the efficiency of the state budget," he said.

Therefore, Daniel encouraged the Government to immediately fix accurate import and distribution planning. He said that import policies must be based on real needs so that stocks do not accumulate.

"Rice that can still be reprocessed should not be immediately considered waste. Regulations need to be flexible but still ensure quality and safety," he said.

"Bulog and the Government must have a responsive stock release strategy, especially for food assistance and market operations," continued the PKB legislator. In addition, Daniel also asked for strict supervision of food quality. He also reminded that food distribution must be fast and efficient.

"All quality improvement processes must be closely monitored so as not to harm consumers. Rice is purchased using public money, so it must return to the people. Do not let the quality go down, the stock is in vain, and the people are still unable to buy," concluded Daniel.

Based on data from the Bapanas Food Price Panel, the price of premium rice in zones 1, 2, and 3 exceeds the Highest Retail Price (HET). In zone 1, the price of premium rice reaches IDR 15,476 per kg (HET IDR 14,900), in zone 2 IDR 16,582 per kg (HET IDR 15,400), and zone 3 IDR 18,390 per kg (HET IDR 15,800).

For medium rice, the national HET is set at IDR 12,500 per kg. However, in zone 1 it is recorded at IDR 13,920, in zone 2 IDR 14,613 (HET IDR 13,100), and zone 3 IDR 13,500.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said the rice stock in Bulog's warehouse as of July 1, 2025, reached 4.2 million tons, the highest since the founding of Bulog in 1969.

On the other hand, the Ombudsman found the remaining imported rice in 2024 which was still in Bulog Warehouse. Some of the remaining rice is more than 1 year old since February 2024, so it starts to smell old.