Zulhas About The Elimination Of The Medium-Premium Rice Caste: Wait For Prabowo's Blessing

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said the plan to remove medium and premium rice qualifications would be reported to President Prabowo Subianto first.

Furthermore, he said, a number of related ministries and institutions had also completed meetings related to the highest retail price (HET) to simplify the class of medium and premium rice into special and regulatory rice.

"We have a meeting. Of course we will report it to the President first," he said at the Ministry of Food Affairs office, Jakarta, Wednesday, August 13.

Even though he already has an option, Zulhas, as he is familiarly called, said he could not convey it to the public. He said he would reveal it after reporting it to Prabowo.

"Yes, but it cannot be announced before reporting to the President. We will report it first," he said.

Previously, the government decided to remove the clustering of rice in the premium and medium categories. Later, it will only be divided into two types, namely general rice and special rice.

This plan was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan alias Zulhas after a coordination meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Arman Sulaiman, Head of Badanas, Arief Prasetyo Adi, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, to the Food Task Force, at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Friday, July 25.

Zulhas said the plan to remove the clustering of rice was decided after observing various findings from the Attorney General's Office, Bareskrim Polri, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Food Task Force.

"Seeing the development of the findings from Jampidsus, Bareskrim, Mr. Minister of Agriculture, the Task Force, that rice is rice. Only sometimes buying rice can be given various bags, you can order this brand, you can order this brand but the rice is the same," he said.

Zulhas said rice is a basic need that involves the livelihoods of many people and is one of President Prabowo Subianto's priority programs. Therefore, no party should seek excessive profit from the food program.

Later in this new policy, continued Zulhas, the government will only recognize two categories. First, general rice produced by domestic farmers and receive subsidies from the government, both in the form of fertilizer, irrigation, and other assistance.

Then, continued Zulhas, the second is special rice which is determined based on permits and certification from the government, such as fragrant pandan rice, glutinous rice, or imported rice for medical needs.

"Well, looking at that experience, we will make only one type of rice later. Rice is rice, no longer medium and premium. Yes, rice has rice, there is one more called special rice. So there are only two," he said.

For your information, the plan to remove the clustering of the medium and premium rice categories has emerged in the midst of the current case of mixing rice.

Previously, the National Police revealed allegations of the practice of mixing and violating the quality of rice in a number of parts of Indonesia. This finding began with an irregularity in rice prices which actually rose in the middle of the main harvest period, when rice stocks actually overflowed.

Kepala Satgas Pangan Polri sekaligus Direktur Tindak Pidana Ekonomi Khusus Bareskrim Polri, Brigjen Helfi Assegaf mengatakan, lonjakan harga yang tidak wajar itu pertama kali disampaikan oleh Menteri Pertanian (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman.

“Pada tanggal 26 Juni 2025, Bapak Mentan menyampaikan hasil temuan di lapangan terhadap mutu dan harga beras yang anomali. Di masa panen raya, beras surplus tapi harga naik luar biasa. Ini tren yang tidak normal,” kata Helfi di Jakarta, Kamis, 24 Juli.

The Head of the National Police's Food Task Force as well as the Director of Special Economic Crimes at Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General Helfi Assegaf, said that the increase in unreasonable prices was first conveyed by the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman.

"On June 26, 2025, the Minister of Agriculture conveyed the findings in the field on the quality and price of anomalous rice. During the main harvest period, rice surpluses but prices rose tremendously. This is an abnormal trend," said Helfi in Jakarta, Thursday, July 24.