Mafia Behind The High Price Of Rice Market, Vice President Ma'ruf Promises To Ask Related Parties To Conduct Investigations

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin delivered a statement to reporters accompanied by Spokesperson for Vice President Masduki Badlowi (leftmost)/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said he would explore whether there was a rice mafia that caused rice prices to increase in the market. "If there is a mafia problem, it must be investigated whether it really exists, I will ask related parties to investigate it," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, January 25. Ma'ruf conveyed this in a press conference after opening the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) on Agricultural Development in 2023 with the theme "Strengthening the Agricultural Sector as Control of Inflation in Facing the World Food Crisis". Previously, the President Director of Perum Bulog, Budi Waseso (Buwas), mentioned the rice mafia in a press conference on Friday, January 20. Buwas said the mafias played Bulog rice prices so that they became expensive. The price of medium rice from Bulog should have been sold for Rp. 8,300 per kilogram to traders, but traders actually got a higher price. Buwas revealed that even the rice mafia dared to hold a meeting near the Perum Bulog office. "I think we may need to investigate the mafia matter further, but what is clear is that from our agricultural products it is enough. Only for the terms carried out, just in case anything happens. Actually, it's a reserve, a backup," added the Vice President. To anticipate the availability of rice in the market, Ma'ruf said the government had taken a number of actions. "We are still in a surplus (rice) in 2022, so there is no problem. Regarding rising rice prices, what is certain is the impact of the global food crisis which is now increasing, therefore, fuel is increasing, so those impacts will certainly have an effect," said Ma'ruf. Ma'ruf also requested that the Ministry of Agriculture encourage massive local food diversification. "The Indonesian people are currently still dependent on rice as a source of staple food. The Ministry of Agriculture targets rice consumption to drop to a position of 85 kg per capita per year, this is the data I got, from around 92 kg per capita in 2020," added the Vice President. In addition to realizing self-sufficiency in rice without imports, the Vice President said efforts to maintain food security needed to be followed by a partition of the food diversification program, through the development of local food upstreams. "I see that corn, sorghum, sago and others have begun to develop. The President has emphasized this, including on various occasions I remind you that the acceleration of this local food diversification and development program is supported by research," said Ma'ruf. Regarding the financing of farmers, especially the People's Business Credit (KUR) Agriculture, Ma'ruf said, it is necessary to continue to build synergies with the bank, as well as increase farmer assistance and development so that it is easier to access financing sources. "I also appreciate the achievement of KUR which has been achieved by the Ministry of Agriculture, I ask that it continue to be improved," said the Vice President. For farmers and the younger generation, the Vice President advised them to continue to be enthusiastic and work hard to improve the production and welfare of farmers. "Today's farmers must be technology literate and always open with new innovations, continue to want to learn new things, collaborate in farmer groups and corporate. We can realize the welfare of farmers if we are able to continue to work together," said the Vice President. Moreover, Indonesia, according to the Vice President, received the award of agricultural commodity wealth from God. "It turns out that we are given a lot of commodities that do not exist in other countries. Maybe when creating Indonesia, Allah SWT is smiling. Therefore, if we fight and continue to work we will not face a food crisis even though there is a crisis in the world. Therefore, let's build what Allah has given us everything we have," explained the Vice President.