Rice Prices Skyrocket, City Government Urges Bandar Lampung Residents Not To Panic Buying

Illustration of rice (Antara-Yulius Satria Wijaya).

LAMPUNG - The Bandar Lampung City Government (Pemkot) urges the public not to panic buying rice. According to him, the availability of basic commodities in this city is still sufficient.

"We hope that there will be no panic buying, facing this situation, because the rice stock in this city is still sufficient, with the availability of 8,150 tons of the need for 7,050 tons in a week," said Acting Head of the Bandarlampung City Food Service M Yusuf, in Bandar Lampung, Thursday, February 22, confiscated by Antara.

According to him, with the society being excessive and doing panic buying rice, it is feared that there will be parties who will take advantage of it by hoarding it.

"Indeed, until now we have not found any hoarding carried out by certain individuals. Because our observation is that the availability of rice is still sufficient in traditional markets," he said.

Then, he continued, in response to the phenomenon of rising rice prices, his party also asked the public to use local food as a substitute for rice.

"Food diversification must also be encouraged and mobilized. We also urge people to use local foods such as sweet potatoes, cassava, and corn as a substitute for rice, which has a high price of Rp. 16,000-Rp. 17,000 per kilogram," he said.

He asked the public to make a wasteful food movement by buying and eating enough food.

"So in the current situation, we hope that people will not waste enough food and live up to it. At least people can save their finances and no food is wasted," he said.