Admits Premium Rice In Jakarta Is Rare, Pramono: We're Handling It

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung admitted that currently the stock of premium rice in Jakarta is experiencing a shortage. Plus, there is a panic buying phenomenon from the public, worried that they will not be able to get rice in the future.

Thus, Pramono emphasized that the DKI Provincial Government is taking a number of steps to deal with the problem of scarcity of rice so that stock can return to normal.

"In monitoring, there is a shortage of premium rice, we are currently handling this. This is how it is, yesterday there was panic buying. There were people then hoarding. I ask that now it be normalized again," said Pramono at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, September 3.

On the other hand, Pramono emphasized that rice stocks in general, especially the availability of rice for cheap foods, are currently still sufficient for the next two months.

Currently, rice stocks reach 303,000 tons spread across the Cipinang Rice Main Market, distributor levels, traditional markets, and modern markets.

"Actually, Jakarta's food is for people who are generally not premium rice, until the end of October it is available," he said.

Head of the DKI Jakarta Food, Maritime and Agricultural Security Service (DKPKP) Hasudungan Sidabalok admitted that one of the reasons was that rice stocks in Jakarta were running low, namely because the price of unhulled rice at the farmer level had also increased.

"So, the supply is also a bit reduced. There are still many rice sellers or rice distributors who have stopped their activities," said Hasudungan to reporters.

Then, the case of mixed rice that dragged PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya, which is a BUMD DKI food manager, also affected.

Meanwhile, until now the National Police's Food Task Force is still confiscating the production equipment or processing of rice belonging to Foos Station as evidence of cases of rice circulation that are not in accordance with quality standards.

"So, it was also triggered yesterday by the problem of mixing rice. As far as I know, (the food station rice production device) has not been (returned). That also causes it may be a bit difficult to find rice," said Hasudungan.