Market Traders Complain The Scarcity Of Medium And Premium Rice

Rice at Cipinang Market/ Photo; IST

JAKARTA - The supply of medium quality rice has been vacant since 1 week ago at the Cipinang Main Market, East Jakarta. According to Ida Haryanti, one of the traders, the stock was empty because there was no shipment of rice from the area to the Cipinang Main Market.

"Now my stock has been empty for 1 week, no rice from the regions has arrived. Today only Saigon Bandung rice, pera and ketan rice have arrived. If IR64 rice doesn't come in," he said, Tuesday, January 31.

Meanwhile, medium and premium quality rice is experiencing scarcity due to the absence of shipments from the regions.

"He said that there was a click there, the grain was running out. Today the trade didn't have IR64 rice, it was empty. From January it was already empty," he said.

Ida said the worst scarcity occurred this week.

"This week's most fatal is very empty, no one has sent it from the area," he said.

The scarcity of rice stocks, Ida confirmed that it would be accompanied by an increase in rice prices.

"Certainly (the price) has increased, from the regions it has also increased. Now there are Rp. 12 thousand. The price is expensive but the rice is empty," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Cipinang Rice Main Market Cooperative, Zulkifli Rasyid, explained that the scarcity of rice stocks usually occurs due to two things. First, because the area does not harvest and Bulog's supply stock is lacking.

"If the rice is not harvested in the area, it means that it does not flow to the main market, secondly, even though Bulog has maximally issued its stock, but he himself said the stock is lacking," he said.