Acting Minister Of Agriculture Calls Bulog's Commercial Rice Price A Maximum Of IDR 13,900 Per Kilogram

Acting (Plt) Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

SOKOHARJO - Acting Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi explained that Perum Bulog has distributed commercial rice to rice mills at a price of Rp. 12,000 per kilogram.

He asked that rice mills sell rice to the public the most expensive Rp13,900 per kilogram. "So far, what I have heard is that the last price released from Bulog is Rp. 12,000 per kilogram, then the maximum price at the end (consumers) is Rp. 13,900 per kilogram, this is good for all of us," said Arief, quoted from ANTARA, Tuesday, October 24.

Arief assessed that the distribution of Bulog's commercial rice was a beneficial step for various parties, ranging from the government, rice milling business actors, to the community.

"There is a win win solution, rice mills that lack dry rice Farmers can continue to carry out activities, repacking (repackage), and others. Bulog can also accelerate commercial rice, people have a choice of rice to get a fairly competitive price," explained Arief.

Just so you know, Bulog's commercial rice stock of 200 thousand tons was disbursed directly to national rice mills.

This step complements the efforts of government interventions that have been intensified so far in order to accelerate the reduction in rice prices which are still above the highest retail price (HET).

"So President Joko Widodo's order to me is to form a food ecosystem by connecting end to end. Starting from ministries, institutions, associations, private sector, BUMN, to post-harvest parties such as rice milling. Everything is hand in hand, especially for stock strengthening and price stability in the market," said Arief.

Based on the Panel of Food Prices managed by the National Food Agency (Bapanas), the price of medium rice in the market again illustrates the increasingly conducive conditions. Observed the price of medium rice as of October 23 was recorded at Rp. 13,190 per kg. There was a decrease of 30 points compared to the price of similar rice on October 1 which was at Rp. 13,220 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of IR-III medium rice at the Cipinang Rice Main Market (PIBC) again recorded depreciation.

It was observed that on October 20 the price of rice at PIBC was recorded at Rp. 10,996 per kilogram or decreased gradually compared to the price of October 1 which was at Rp. 11,331 per kilogram.