Government Prepares Strategy To Overcome National Rice Price Increase

Rice prices (between)

The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs revealed the strategy that the government will take to deal with the threat of scarcity and rising rice prices due to the withdrawal of the planting season and geopolitical turmoil that occurred.

Head of the Communication, Information Services and Trial Bureau of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Haryo Limanseto said to overcome the increase in rice prices, the government has assigned Bulog the task of accelerating and optimizing the distribution of rice distribution and Stabilizing Market Price Supply (SPHP) to the market.

"Continue to accelerate imports as well. So those who get the Bulog assignment are ordered to Bulog to accelerate the import and distribution process," he told the media crew, Tuesday, February 13.

Haryo explained that the existing rice stock data and distribution currently comes from several parts.

"So for distribution related to rice, from Bulog as well, for SPHP 220,000 tons, then distribution of food aid 179,000 tons, then imports of rice in 2023 which have been [as much as] 2.6 million tons, that's 2023. For 2024 because it's only 2 months 325,000 tons, then in the country 70,000 tons, "he said.

However, Haryo could not predict when the price of rice would return to normal, this was because it was not his expertise.

"If that's the case, I'm not an approximate expert. The directives are demand and supply, so if the supply is met, the demand is met," he said.

Furthermore, Haryo also emphasized that the scarcity of rice that has occurred recently has nothing to do with or has anything to do with government food assistance.

"Gara-gara bantuan pangan beras langka? Oh nggak kan, itu merupakan bagian dari itu untuk mengatasi pasokan pangan, stabiliskan harga," jelasnya.

Haryo ensured that the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy continues to see and monitor the development of food prices including rice and continues to coordinate with related Ministries/Institutions (K/L).

Earlier there was a related meeting chaired by the president. This means that the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy monitors the development of food prices, including rice and coordinates with relevant stakeholders, K/L K/L, then also monitors in the field," said Haryo.

For information, based on the price of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Tuesday, February 13, 2024. The price of premium rice currently reaches Rp. 15,830 per kg, even though the Highest Retail Price (HET) ranges from Rp. 12,900 to Rp. 14,800-kg. Meanwhile, medium-type rice reaches Rp. 13,900 per kg much higher than the HET is only around Rp. 10,900 to Rp. 11,800 per kg.