Price Problems And Rice Supply In The Market, YLKI Asks All Parties To Overcome It

Rice (photo: Doc Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) asks all related parties to seriously address price problems and the availability of rice stocks in the market to be affordable for consumers.

"The polemic about rice has not yet been resolved in the field, there are still problems that become homework to complete it immediately," said YLKI Chairman Niti Emiliana quoting Antara.

Previously, continued Niti, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said that rice stocks were abundant. However, he questioned why the price of rice in the market is still high and the rice stock is empty in the market.

YLKI noted about rice polemics, first on the consumer side, the definition of abundant rice stocks should not only be upstream/downstream but must be available in the market which is easily accessible to the public with quality according to affordable standards and prices.

Therefore, YLKI asks the government to ensure the availability of rice stocks in the market and ensure price affordability for consumers

Second, the escalation of rice prices in modern retail is very burdensome for consumers and is not in accordance with consumer purchasing power.

According to him, many of the most fooled consumers are that the rice available in modern retail is not ordinary premium rice, but also fortified special rice which costs Rp. 90 thousand to Rp. 130 thousand per 5 kilograms (kg).

"Meanwhile, special rice does not have a fixed HET rule from the government. This is the result of the vacancy in premium and medium rice stocks in modern retail," he said.

Third, said Niti, even in traditional markets, consumers also feel an increase in retail rice prices, although it is not as significant as rice in modern retail, and the price tends to be affordable.

"However, this must also be a concern so that there is no increase in prices and vacancies in rice stocks in traditional markets," he explained.

Therefore, YLKI asks the government to fulfill the basic rights of consumers to meet rice stocks in the market with easy access, quality according to affordable standards and prices.

YLKI also encourages the National Food Agency (Bapanas) and Perum Bulog to accelerate the distribution of SPHP rice with massive standard quality in order to stabilize rice prices and fill the void in rice stocks in the market

He also urged the Ministry of Trade, Bapanas, the Food Task Force, and the Police to thoroughly investigate the distribution process from upstream to downstream and vacancies in premium and medium rice in retail.

"Talking about customers, it is rice consumers who are loyal to become customers because rice has become a commodity for consumer staple foods," said Niti.

"Therefore, in order to respect the 2025 YLKI National Customer Day, the government asks the customers of rice rights that have been fulfilled by business actors," he added.