Medium Rice Prices In Banten Rise, There Is No Solution From Local Government

Rice At Cipinang Main Market/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio/ VOI

JAKARTA - The price of medium rice in the market soared, this was complained by a number of people in Lebak Regency, Banten. They are worried that they will not be able to buy it. "Today the price of medium rice with moderate quality penetrated Rp. 14,500/kilograms from the previous seven months Rp. 8,500/kg," said Ma Uni (60), a Central resident of West Rangkasbitung Village, Lebak Regency, as quoted from Antara, Wednesday, February 20. Uni said, rice supply in the Rangkasbitung market, Lebak Regency is available, but the price has soared up. The price of rice is certainly burdened for residents who earn mediocre income, such as himself as a traveling trader, is feared to be unaffordable to buy it. He said, there is a married couple (couple) with mobile buskers who are its customers, if they do not get money, it is certain that it is difficult to buy rice because the price is not affordable. "In fact, he sometimes feels sorry for and provides rice assistance to them, including a family whose husband is stroke," he said. According to him, he sells cakes around using an on-site bicycle and can reap a net profit of Rp. 70 thousand-Rp. 100,000 per day. A profit of that amount, he said, only enough to eat a family and the rest is saved to pay for a rented house. "Moreover, until now he has never received the assistance of rice launched by the government, even though he has submitted a family card to the local sub-district office. In fact, he is in the category worthy of receiving free rice assistance and BPJS, because his income is mediocre. "We hope that the important price of rice returns to normal and stable, as in the past Rp.8,500/kiogram, so that it does not burden the family of mediocre economic income," said Ma Uni. Likewise Entin (55) a housewife from Pasir Kongsen Rangkasbitung residents, Lebak Regency admitted that he feels that he is devastated almost every week the price of rice has increased.

And, a week earlier, moderate quality medium rice was Rp. 13,300/kilogram, but now it is Rp. 14,500/kilogram. "We are very worried that we will not be able to buy rice if it continues to increase and the government is unable to control it," said Entin. Meanwhile, the Head of Trade for the Department of Industry and Trade of Lebak Regency Yani said that currently the local government has not held a low-cost market operation, because rice in the market tends to rise. For the KW 1 medium rice in a number of traditional markets in Lebak Regency, it was sold for Rp. 15,500/kiogram from the previous Rp. 15,000/kiogram, KW 2 medium rice sold for Rp. 14,500/kiograms from the previous Rp. 14,000/kilogram and KW 3 medium rice sold for Rp. 13,400 from the previous Rp. 13,000/kilogram. "We plan five commodities to hold cheap market operations, but not yet realized. This is because the subsidy budget from local governments is relatively small, especially the price of rice has soared. We are now again submitting an additional subsidy budget for cheap market operations," said Yani.