Rice Prices In Lebak Stable Due To Abundant Supply

LEBAK - Prices of various types of rice in traditional markets in Lebak Regency, Banten, have been stable for the past four months because the supply from farmers is quite abundant.

"We bring in rice from local farmers, so there is no price increase in the market," said a rice trader at Rangkasbitung Market, Lebak Regency, Baden (65) as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, July 17.

Rice production in Lebak Regency is abundant, so traders do not bring in food needs from outside the region. 

Farmers' groups supply rice to Rangkasbitung Market around 30 to 40 tons per month.

Therefore, he is optimistic that the price of rice in the market is stable and affordable.

"We ourselves accommodate five tons of local rice per month," said Baden. According to him, the current market price for quality (KW) I is IDR 10,500 per kilogram (kg), KW II is IDR 9,900 per kg, KW III is IDR IDR 9,330 per kg and KW IV IDR 8.500 per kg.

He estimates that rice prices can last until the end of 2022 because the rice harvest will continue until December. "We believe that local rice production is in surplus, because farmers can harvest three times due to the increasing rainfall," said H Baden.

Other traders, Suryana (50) said that so far the price of rice has been relatively stable and there has been no increase, because traders bring in local rice from Lebak farmers.

Moreover, he continued, the rice harvest in Lebak Regency area is almost every month.

"We accommodate about 3.5 tons of rice from farmers, whereas normally it is 7 tons per month," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Trade at the Industry and Trade Office of Lebak Regency, Dedi Setiawan, said the price of rice of various qualities in Rangkasbitung, Maja, Cipanas, Muncang, Malingping, and Warunggunung markets was quite stable due to the abundant supply of local rice.

According to him, rice traders are supplied from farmer groups, so they do not bring rice from a number of areas in West Java and Central Java.

"All the rice is imported from local farmers so that the price in the market is stable," he said.