Keep The Price In Fasting Month, Minister Of Trade Zulhas: Government Relaxation Of Premium Rice HET Rp1,000 Per Kg

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas revealed that the government through the National Food Agency (Bapanas) relaxed the highest retail price (HET) of premium rice of Rp1,000 per kilogram (kg).

The relaxation of the premium rice HET is valid from March 10 to March 23. This means that with this relaxation, the price of premium rice can exceed the HET until that time limit.

"In order to maintain supply and stabilization of government rice prices through Bapanas, the HET relaxation of premium rice is IDR 1,000 per kg in each region from March 10 to March 23, 2024. Meanwhile, the HET of medium rice remains," he said in a working meeting with Commission VI of the DPR, at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, March 13.

For this reason, continued Zulhas, his party requested that the Food Task Force (Satgas) supervise to ensure the implementation of the Rp1,000 premium rice HET relaxation per kg.

"Food Task Force is then distributed together to carry out regular supervision to ensure the implementation of the HET relaxation of the premium rice in question," he said.

Previously, NFA Head Arief Prasetyo Adi explained that the temporary implementation of the premium rice HET relaxation was implemented in order to maintain supply stability and premium rice prices at the consumer level.

"Of course, after we pay close attention to the condition of availability, supply, and price of premium rice in traditional and modern retail markets, there is a need for an effort to continue to maintain supply stability and premium rice prices at the consumer level through the relaxation of HET premium rice," explained Arief.

Arief said that the relaxation of the premium rice HET is temporary for two weeks. After the final limit is set, the price of premium rice will again follow the HET in accordance with the Regulation of the National Food Agency (Perbadan) Number 7 of 2023.

"This means that this relaxation is carried out so that people can be more comfortable in carrying out worship during the fasting month and have no trouble getting access to rice purchases in the market. Later in the fourth week, we believe that the supply and availability of rice will increase with the rice harvest," he said.

The premium rice HET relaxation currently targets eight regions. HET is adjusted to a difference of more than Rp1,000 per kg compared to the previous HET.

In Java, Lampung, and South Sumatra, the premium rice HET relaxation was applied to Rp14,900 per kg from the previous HET at Rp13,900 per kg.

Then the areas of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Riau, Riau Islands, Jambi, and Bangka Belitung Islands, the premium rice HET relaxation was enforced at IDR 15,400 per kg from the previous HET of IDR 14,400 per kg.

For the Bali and Nusa Tenggara regions, the relaxation of the HET of premium rice at Rp. 15,400 per kg from the previous HET was Rp. 14,400 per kg. This is also the same in the East Nusa Tenggara region with a premium HET relaxation of Rp. 15,400 per kg from the previous HET of Rp. 14,400 per kg.

Meanwhile, for the Sulawesi region, the relaxation of premium rice HET was Rp. 14,900 per kg from the previous HET of Rp. 13,900 per kg. For the Kalimantan region, the relaxation of premium rice HET was Rp. 15,400 per kg from the previous HET of Rp. 14,400 per kg.

Finally, for the Maluku region, the relaxation of the premium rice HET was Rp. 15,800 per kg compared to the previous HET of Rp. 14,800 per kg.

The relaxation of the premium rice HET for the Papua region is also exactly the same as the Maluku region.