Jokowi Calls Climate Change The Cause Of Rice Prices Rising

President Joko Widodo handed over rice assistance to Beneficiary Families (KPM) in South Tangerang, Banten, Monday (19/2/2024). BETWEEN Dwi Gayati

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said climate change and weather caused crop failure to cause rice prices around the world, including Indonesia to increase.

"The price of rice in all countries, in the world is now rising, not only in Indonesia, in all countries the price has increased. Why is it rising? Because there are such things as climate change, weather changes so that many have failed to harvest," said President Jokowi when handing over rice aid to beneficiary families (KPM) in South Tangerang, Banten, reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 19.

President Jokowi explained that rice consumption in Indonesia did not change, but production was reduced, resulting in a shortage of supply which resulted in an increase in prices.

Based on the official website of the National Food Agency which was accessed Monday, the national average price of premium rice reached IDR 16,100 per kg.

The average price of rice in Jakarta even reaches Rp. 16,500 per kg. Meanwhile, the highest price occurred in the Papua Province of Mountains which reached Rp. 23,800 per kg, while the lowest price in Aceh was Rp. 14,850 per kg.

The government also distributed rice aid to 22 million KPM, based on data managed by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture. The assistance aims to ease the burden on the KPM on this increase in rice prices.

"Our government is helping with this rice aid to relieve all of the women because the price went up," said the President.

Rice Food assistance has been implemented since early 2023 in 2 stages and then continued in 2024.

Rice food assistance in 2024 is distributed from January to June. President Jokowi stressed that the aid will be extended if the APBN is still possible.

"So this is January, February, March, April, May, June. Later after June we will see whether the APBN is sufficient or not. If it is sufficient, we will continue," said Jokowi.