Vice President: Panen Cycle Will Stabilize Rice Prices Again

Screenshot of Vice President Ma'ruf Amin delivering information after attending the inauguration of the 2024 Community Training Center (BLK) in Tangerang, Banten, Thursday (7/3/2024). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the harvest cycle in a number of rice-producing areas in Indonesia gave hope to stabilize prices in the market which are currently volatile.

"We hope that now there have been harvests in several areas. We hope that the price of rice will stabilize again soon," said the Vice President, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, March 7.

He said rice price fluctuations in the domestic market are currently influenced by limited commodity supplies because they have not yet entered the harvest cycle.

"Regarding rice, I think it was still difficult at that time, because it had not yet been harvested," he said.

Therefore, it is hoped that the sufficient supply of rice in the market can trigger price stability in the normal range for the needs of the community.

The increase in rice prices that has occurred since the last four months in a number of regions had touched the price of Rp. 14,000 per kilogram for medium rice and Rp. 18,000 per kilogram for premium rice.

Rice from Bulog is sold for IDR 51,000 per package of 5 kilograms or equivalent to IDR 10,200 per kilogram.

A number of rice-producing areas are currently entering the rice harvest period, including Sragen Regency, Central Java, with an average production of around seven tons per hectare.

In addition, the West Java Provincial Government ensures that rice stocks will be sufficient for needs during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, reaching 107.4 thousand tons of rice, and it is planned that seven ships containing 44,450 tons will enter West Java this March.

In addition, a number of agricultural land in East Kalimantan Province has also begun to enter the harvest period this month.