Jokowi Calls Rice Prices Rising Due To Distribution Disorders

President Jokowi at TPS 10 Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday morning (14/2/2024). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said the increase in rice prices in the market was due to distribution disruptions, among others, due to flooding in the Central Java region. "This is a problem of distribution being disrupted due to flooding, in Demak yesterday, for example, like that," said Jokowi, who was met after using his voting rights in the 2024 election at TPS 10 Gambir, Central Jakarta, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 14. The president ensures that the rice stock in Bulog is still quite large, so the public does not need to worry about the issue. price and scarcity of supplies. "The rice stock, both medium and premium in Bulog, is always ready and there is always stock. This is nothing to worry about," he said. President Director of Perum Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi said that currently rice stocks reach 1,180,000 or 1.18 million tons which are confirmed to be safe to meet the national rice needs until April 2024. Our stock (rices) is 1,180,000 tons, so that's enough. So if earlier, for example, the demand for SPHP rice (supply stabilization and food prices) will be doubled "That's enough. Plus for food assistance until March and April, that's enough," said Bayu. He said, with the amount of government rice reserves (CBP) in Bulog Warehouse, it can meet the needs of the community nationally during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 1445 H. Furthermore, he said that the floods that hit a number of farmers' rice fields, including in Demak, Kudus, and Grobogan districts in Central Java, did not affect food stocks nationally.. "The farmers are sorry for those affected, but nationally we can still transfer it," he said. According to President Jokowi's orders, Bapanas together with Perum Bulog, PT Food Station Tjipinang Raya, the Rice Milling Association, and Indonesian Rice Entrepreneurs (PERPADI), as well as the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association. (Aprindo) seeks to stabilize rice prices. As much as 50 thousand tons of rice from Bulog has begun to enter the Cipinang Rice Main Market (PIBC). "The President's orders are rice stocks in Bulog, which are in PIBC, at the DKI Jakarta BUMD Food Station, optimized to be poured into markets, both modern markets and traditional markets," said Arief while reviewing rice stocks at the PIBC Warehouse, Jakarta, Tuesday. Moreover, currently Bulog has a rice stock of approximately 1.3 million tons prepared by the government as government food reserves (CPP). Badanas has arranged that Bulog rice stock can continue to be intensified to various market lines. Rice amounting to 50 thousand tons by Bulog is distributed to PIBC and then packaged in 5 kg of rice and then distributed to modern retailers.

Meanwhile, rice for the Supply Stabilization and Food Price (SPHP) program continues to be distributed to regions throughout Indonesia. The realization of SPHP rice until February 12, 2024 has touched 226 thousand tons. Other government interventions will be carried out in the form of rice food assistance which will start again starting February 15, 2024.