Head Of Badanas: Premium Rice HET Relaxation Of IDR 1,000 Per Kg Will Not Be Extended

Head of Badanas Arief Prasetyo Adi (Photo: Antara)

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi ensured that the relaxation policy, aka the temporary increase in the highest retail price (HET) of premium rice of Rp1,000 per kilogram (kg) would not be extended.

The relaxation of the premium rice HET only lasts for 2 weeks from March 10 to 23, 2024. With this relaxation, the price of premium rice can exceed the HET until that time limit.

Instead of being extended, Arief admitted that he received input from members of Commission IV of the DPR RI to review the policy.

"Not extended, instead, PR (homework) from Commission IV (DPR RI) was told to sit again for a review," said Arief Prasetyo Adi at the DPR Building, DPR RI Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, March 13.

Furthermore, Arief explained that the premium rice HET relaxation policy was issued by the government to maintain supply availability.

This relaxation is to maintain availability as well. Whether small or medium-sized people need availability. We have had such experience when prices are too low, no one can supply them. Because, it is not balanced with the market. That's why we relax Rp1,000 per kg, that's enough. If the price of grain is Rp. 7,000, actually (the price of rice) can be below Rp. 14,900 per kg," he said.

For your information, the temporary relaxation of the premium rice HET is targeting 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 to Rp15,800 per kg compared to the previous HET was Rp14,800 per kg. The relaxation of the premium rice HET for the Papua region is exactly the same as the Maluku region.