Airlangga Denies Scarcity And High Rice Prices Due To Social Assistance

Coordinating Minister For The Economy Airlangga Hartarto/PHOTO: Aris Nurjani-VOI

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto denied reports that rice food social assistance (bansos) was the cause of scarcity and high rice prices.

"No (not because of social assistance), social assistance continues and this has been going on since last year," said Airlangga after voting at TPS 05 Melawai, Wednesday, February 14.

According to Airlangga, in terms of agriculture, the harvest season in Indonesia has been delayed for about two months, causing domestic rice production to decline from March to April to April, May and June.

"So yesterday the government decided to import, and now the realization is still around 1.6 million (tonnes of rice) to enter," he said.

Airlangga explained that currently the rice stock in Bulog reached around 1.2 million tons and based on the results of a meeting with the President and related Ministries/Institutions, it was decided that the stabilization of Food Supply and Prices (SPHP) would be increased in circulation in overcoming stock shortages in retail.

In addition, the government will also continue to increase the SPHP that enters the market to 250,000 tons per month from the initial 150,000 tons per month. And it will facilitate access to rice distribution to the community.

"So for some areas, distributed, please use a larger kilo and in the field given the opportunity to repackaging, say from a size of 20 kg, 50 kg, to 5 kg and the cost is reimbursed. That was yesterday the solution given," he said.