Yes, Jokowi Asks That There Is No More Fuss Over Rice Imports

Rice in Bulog / Antara

JAKARTA - The polemic regarding the plan to import rice was closed by a statement by President Joko Widodo. The President emphasized that until June 2021, the government will not import rice.

Initially, this issue was raised by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, saying that the government would import rice in the near future. This is done to maintain domestic supply, so that prices remain under control.

"One of the important things is the provision of rice with a stock of 1 million to 1.5 million," said Airlangga some time ago.

Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi then agreed to the plan. According to him, the decision was taken with careful calculations with the availability at Perum Bulog.

Lutfi explained that there were minutes of a meeting at the cabinet level stating that Perum Bulog must have rice reserves or iron stock of 500 thousand tons. The rice procurement can come from imports.

Meanwhile, he received information that Bulog's current rice stock was only 800 thousand tons. This amount includes the remaining imported rice in 2018, which amounted to 270 thousand tons to 300 thousand tons.

According to Lutfi, imported rice in 2018 is likely to decline in quality. As a result, if the current stock is reduced by the remaining imported rice, the amount could be under 500 thousand tons.

Supported and contested

Gde Sumarjaya Linggih, Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the DPR from the Golkar faction, agreed with the rice import plan. He considered, all parties must see the problem completely before rejecting it. This is because according to him, the rice import plan is intended to maintain the stability of food prices in the market.

"In fact, almost every year we (Indonesia.red) import rice. So prepare food logistics, let alone predicted La Nina will occur in 2021 by BMKG. This needs to be a concern, because we are not only on the side of the farmers, but also for the people, ”said Gde Sumarjaya.

However, this was also opposed by a number of parties. Member of Commission VI of the DPR RI from the PDIP faction, Evita Nursanty asked the Ministry of Trade not to rashly decide on rice imports during the main harvest season in a number of parts of Indonesia.

"We support imports in the event of a disaster emergency, there is a shortage of production and stocks or imports of special rice for certain needs, even then with good considerations and reasons so as not to disturb price stability at the farm level," said Evita.

Then, the Indonesian Ombudsman indicated the potential for maladministration in the discourse of importing 1 million tons of rice that the government would carry out. Therefore, Yeka Hendra Fatika, member of the Indonesian Ombudsman, asked that the rice import polemic needs to be explored.

"We see that the rice import policy and food management in Indonesia still leaves several problems that have the potential to contain maladmis- tration in them," said Hendra.

The plan to import rice, said Hendra, was issued at a time when domestic production had no problems. In fact, there is no problem even at the rice mill at the mill level. Because of that, his party considered that there was an error in deciding the rice import policy this year.

"We see that there is something wrong in this decision," he said.

Jokowi opens his voice

The polemic about rice imports was closed by a statement by President Joko Jokowi, emphasizing that for the next few months, the government would not import rice.

"I assure you that until June 2021 there is no imported rice entering our country, Indonesia. We know that it has been almost three years since these imports have not imported rice," Jokowi said in a YouTube broadcast of the Presidential Secretariat, Friday, March 26.

Jokowi asked for an end to the polemic regarding the rice import plan. "I ask to immediately stop the debate related to rice imports," he continued.

Because, now it has entered the harvest season. Unfortunately, the price of rice from the farmers' union has not been as expected. With the rice import polemic, Jokowi is worried that the selling price of unhulled rice at the farmer level will drop or fall.