Bulog Will Distorte 35,000 Tons Of Rice In Jabodetabek, Can Prices Down?

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The National Food Agency or Bapanas revealed that the General Statement of the Logistics Affairs Agency (Perum Bulog) will disburse as much as 35,000 tons of rice for the Jakarta and Jabodetabek areas.

The move aims to reduce the high price of rice, especially in DKI Jakarta, the price of rice is still reaching IDR 11,000 per kilogram (kg).

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi asked Bulog to issue government rice reserves (CBP) in warehouses for the stabilization of supply and prices.

"Now there are 40,000 powers in Kelapa Gading (Bulog Group), about 4,000 or 6,000 tons have come out. So there are around 35,000 for stabilization in Jabodetabek," he told reporters, at Bulog Warehouse, Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, Friday, January 13.

Arief said, the 35,000 tons of rice came partly from imported rice and rice harvested by domestic farmers. Bulog, is planning to distribute rice with a price range of Rp. 8,300 to Rp. 8,900 per kg.

So that traders can sell to consumers at a price of IDR 9,450 per kg.

Arief explained, today 6,000 tons of rice has been distributed.

Arief said, Bulog was indeed asked to issue government rice reserves (CBP) in the warehouse for the stabilization of supply and prices.

"Today, I have 6,000 tons, last night I got another 2,500 tons of PO (pre-order), previously 2,000 tons, the method is to flush, don't splash it," he explained.

Furthermore, Arief said, the distribution of CBP was carried out through the Supply Stabilization and Food Price (SPHP) scheme.

This distribution will be supervised by the Food Task Force and the Ministry of Trade.

The Food Task Force will also monitor rice traders so that hoarding does not occur.

The restrictions on rice stocks for traders refer to Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 71 of 2015 concerning Determination and Storage of Basic Goods and Important Goods.

If traders have stock three times from their sales for a month. That's called hoarding. For example, if he sells an average of 10,000 tons a month, he knocks 50,000, he can't," he said.