Government Increases Grain And Corn Prices, Guarantees Buy All Farmers' Products

Coordinating Minister For Food Zulkifli Hasan was accompanied by a number of officials/ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi

JAKARTA - The government decided to increase the price of unhulled rice and corn purchased from farmers without considering the amount of production available.

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan based on the decision of a cabinet meeting involving President Prabowo Subianto and a number of relevant stakeholders at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Monday, December 30.

"No matter how much the production of unhulled rice and corn, farmers will be accommodated according to the price set by the government," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

In the meeting which lasted almost 2.5 hours, the government decided to increase the price of unhulled rice, which was previously Rp6,000 to Rp6,500 per kilogram.

"Meanwhile, the price of corn also increased from IDR 5,000 to IDR 5,500 per kilogram," Zulkifli added.

The minister who is familiarly called Zulhas said the decision that would provide direct benefits to the farmers was important and very historic in Indonesia.

"An important point, yes, is a historic decision. I think, in cabinet meetings that I participated in today, we made a historic decision. Whatever rice production, farmers' grain, it will be accommodated," he said.

Zulhas explained, the decision was taken after a long discussion on domestic food production, which showed a significant increase.

In January, said Zulhas, Indonesia's rice production increased from 0.8 million tons to 1.3 million tons, and in February it was estimated that it would reach 2.08 million tons.

Zulhas emphasized that the government will buy all of the farmers' grain and corn at agreed prices, regardless of the amount of production.

Zulhas ensured that the government would provide storage facilities through Bulog warehouses, resi warehouses, and the main warehouses of cooperatives to accommodate agricultural products for farmers.