Reviewing Johar Karawang Market, Jokowi Finds Rice Prices Still High

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) spoke with traders at Johar Market, Karawang, West Java, Thursday (14/9/2023). BETWEEN/HO-Biro Press, Media, and Information from the Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Indonesia

KARAWANG - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reviewed the prices of a number of food commodities at Johar Market, Karawang, West Java, today. Food prices in the market are stable. In fact, said Jokowi, the price of eggs in the market, which is usually above Rp. 30,000, has now dropped to Rp. 26,000 per kilogram. "Earlier we checked everything was good, only one (that is) rice which (the price) has not gone down," President Jokowi told reporters, after reviewing the Purwosari Bulog Warehouse, West Java, Antara, Thursday, September 14. To control the increase in rice prices triggered by production decline due to the El Nino phenomenon, Jokowi has instructed Bulog to carry out market operations. Market operations must also be carried out in all places, from retail to wholesale. "I have ordered the Head of Bulog to operate on the market not only in retail, not only in the Cipinang wholesale, but all of them. Ask for (price) no matter how much you give, but you have to pay," said the President. Halid Hamzah, one of the rice traders at Johar Market, also said that the price of rice is currently rising. According to Halid, the average rice price has increased to IDR 2,000 per kilogram.

"The increase per kilogram is an average of almost Rp. 2,000, the cheapest of which was Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 12,000 per kilogram. There was an increase of Rp. 2,000 per kilogram," said Halid as well.