Indef: Mixing Rice Can Damage Food Policy Efficacy

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) revealed that the practice of mixing rice can damage the effectiveness of food policies, create market distortions, and endanger social stability if allowed to expand.

"When people find that the rice they buy, even from the subsidy program that has been tested, does not match the quality or weight, public trust in the country as a food provider will collapse," said Head of the Macroeconomic Center, Indef Rizal Taufiqurrarahman, quoted by Antara, Monday, July 28.

In the long term, he said this practice could create price instabilities and enlarge the gap between regulation and market reality.

"The state must be present in a firm manner, not only with rhetoric, but with a system that can close all irregularities," said Rizal.

He explained that the mode of oplosan rice continued to exist due to weak supervision at the end distribution point, the absence of a credible tracking system, as well as the lax control mechanism over Perum Bulog distribution partners.

According to him, the long and opaque distribution chain of Government Rice Reserves (CBP) creates space for downstream actors to systematically insert the practice of mixing.

"This is exacerbated by the absence of an early warning system based on data, as well as the absence of comprehensive improvements in logistics governance and channeling certification. As long as economic logic still benefits the perpetrators, and sanctions do not provide a deterrent effect, this system will continue to rotate," said Rizal.

Therefore, he recommends that the government change its approach from reactive ones based on raids and impromptu inspections to an integrated and forensic smart surveillance system based.

According to him, digitalization of the CBP distribution chain with a publicly monitorable QR or barcode tracking system is needed, as well as updating Bulog partner systems, periodic audits, and establishing blacklists of mixed perpetrators must be a policy standard.

"Without a mechanism for harsh administrative sanctions such as the revocation of permanent permits and the elimination of corporations for practice actors will continue to repeat with different faces," said Rizal.

Furthermore, the eradication of food crimes cannot only rely on one institution, but it is necessary to cooperate between ministries that are systemic, not just coordinative, where the Ministry of Agriculture and Bulog must work together to form a real-time quality and distribution monitoring system.

In addition, Law Enforcement Officials (APH) need to form a special unit that handles violations in the strategic food sector.

"All actors, including local governments, must work within a measurable, monitored, and intervening framework quickly when there are irregularities," said Rizal.