Jokowi Asks Bulog Rice To Be Released To The Market To Control Prices

Acting Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi gave a statement at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Monday (9/10/2023). (ANTARA/Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered that rice stocks in Perum Bulog warehouses be immediately released to the market to control prices that continue to climb in the market. Acting Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi explained that President Jokowi also ordered the ranks to distribute commercial rice from Bulog warehouses to rice pangolins which were then diverted to the market so that supplies were abundant. "Just buy it for stabilization, buy it with commercial friends, friends with rice pangolins to speed up rice distribution. So Mr. President said that the stock should not be in Bulog's warehouse, but be released to the market as soon as possible,” he said after a meeting at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Antara, Monday, October 9. Prior to this proposal, the government had distributed market operating rice with food assistance and also rice for the Stabilization of Supply and Food Prices (SPHP). " “ Now add more rice pangolins because only 20 to 30 percent of the GKP rice pangolins (Tired Rice Grants) so he can't produce and this will continue, "said Arief. The option that is being studied by the government, said Arief, is that the rice pangolin can repackage the commercial rice to be sold to the market. The government will also look for a price balance point so that the rice released by the rice pangolin to this market is not expensive. " “ It's not too expensive compared to the price of grain, which today is Rp7,300 (per kilogram/kg) to Rp7,800 (per kg), right, the rice will be Rp13 thousand - Rp14 thousand (per kg), yes, we will look for it later. the figure is close to Rp11,500, Rp11,600 that's it, yes,” he said. In addition to flooding the market with rice supply, the government will also increase rice procurement by 1.5 million tons to maintain stock availability and price stabilization. The procurement of 1.5 million tons of rice, among others, was carried out by imports from Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.

In addition, the government is also trying to optimize domestic rice production during the harvest season in November 2023.