Ministry Of Trade Says Premium Rice Prices In 649 Traditional Markets Have Not Dropped

Director General of Domestic Trade of the Ministry of Trade Isy Karim. (Photo: Mery Hadayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) revealed that based on the pantuan conducted in 649 traditional markets, it shows that the price of premium rice has not dropped this week.

The Director General of Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Isy Karim, said the results of monitoring carried out through the Market Monitoring System and Basic Needs (SP2KP) showed that the price of premium rice in all regions was still high.

Isy said, the high price of rice can be seen in all pantuan areas which are divided into three. Region A is Java, Sulawesi, South Sumatra, Lampung, Bali and NTB. Region B is another Sumatra, Kalimantan, and NTT. While the region C is Maluku and Papua.

"For the premium rice, it is still from all areas that are being monitored, there has not been a decrease in prices," he said at the Food Supply and Price Safety Coordination Meeting Ahead of Fasting and Eid Al-Fitr, at the Kempinski Grand Ballroom, Jakarta, Monday, March 4.

Isy admitted that premium rice in the market had increased. However, he said, the increase was not as high as in the previous weeks.

"Compared to this week and last week, it didn't happen like last weeks," he said.

Based on Isy's presentation, the price of premium rice in Region A was recorded at Rp. 16,200 per kilogram (kg). Then, in Region B it is Rp. 16,700 per kg and in Region C it is Rp. 18,800 per kg.

The highest retail price (HET) for premium rice is IDR 13,900 per kg. This means that the price of the three regions has exceeded the HET price.

On the other hand, Isy said that the price of medium rice from the SP2KP monitoring had decreased but had not been evenly distributed. Especially in the core market which is the center of the rice market.

"In the main market, it has decreased, it has not yet penetrated traditional markets consisting of retail levels," he said.