Head Of Bapanas Assess An Abnormal Rice Price At This Time

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi admitted that the price of domestic rice is not normal.

The reason is, the price of rice is currently outside the calculation of the government or related parties.

"Today is not normal (rice prices) because GKP grain is already Rp. 6,000, the price of medium rice, premium is also outside of habit," said Arief during a RDP with Commission IV of the DPR RI, written Wednesday, March 1.

Arief said the cause was imbalance in demand or demand with supply or supply.

Due to the abnormality in rice prices, he said, his party had temporarily postponed the issuance of new regulations regarding rice prices.

"We hold the rice first, even though we have a calculation because today's price is indeed outside of our calculations, we will wait," he said.

Still, said Arief, Bapanas himself has held intensive discussions regarding the regulation, it's just that the authorities are still waiting until rice prices return to normal.

"But we have carried out calculations, discussions, between ministries, institutions, business actors, we have carried out the chairman, we are still waiting until conditions are completely normal," he said.

Responding to Arief's confession, the Chairman of Commission VI of the DPR, Sudin, admitted that he was shocked.

The Sub-Department then questioned the rice surplus claimed by the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) some time ago.

"It means that the surplus is a lie. I asked the beginning first, which he said the surplus was a lie, right?" asked Sudin.

Answering Sudin's question, Arief also replied that Indonesia for the last 6 months had experienced a rice deficit.

"In the last 6 months the chairman's deficit has been," said Arief.