DIGIVESTASI - Traditional market traders say the recent increase in rice prices is the highest in the history of President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) administration.  The increase in rice prices has far exceeded the maximum retail price (HET) set by the government, reaching a new record of IDR 18,000 per kg.

Reynaldi Sarijowan, Secretary General of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (IKAPPI), said it was difficult to get medium and high quality rice. Even so, the market price of premium rice is Rp 18,500 per kilogram (kg). "Yes (the price of high-quality rice is IDR 18,500 per kg, the highest price during the Jokowi administration)" Please be careful because if the supply of rice in traditional markets is not abundant, it will definitely disrupt the distribution of public food in the market, he said.

Raynaldi joked that the social assistance of 10 kg of rice was given before the 2024 presidential election, before there was a scarcity in the market. He said, political dynamics caused a tug of war between the distribution of social assistance and rice stocks in the market. Eventually, prices soared and supplies became scarce. 

Of course, the ministers involved in this issue, such as the Minister of Trade (Zulkifli Hasan) and the Minister of SOEs (Eric Tohir), are indeed 'openly' supporting a particular candidate pair." "But the fate of our small farmers and small traders is not taken into account," Reynaldi criticized.

"High rice prices are evidence that the government is not serious about rice prices. Clearly we need to improve and make changes to our food trading system to ensure that this situation does not continue," he added Reference Information: Based on the National Food Agency Regulation No. 7 of 2023, as of March 2023, the rice price ceiling is IDR 10,900 per kg for medium size and IDR 13,900 per kg for premium rice in Zone 1 covering Java, Lampung, South Sumatra, Bali, NTB, and Sulawesi. 

While the HET of rice in Zone 2 covering Sumatra, NTT, and Kalimantan except Lampung and South Sumatra is IDR 11,500 per kg and IDR 14,400 per kg for Central American and premium rice. In Zone 3, which includes Maluku and Papua, the price ceiling for Central America is IDR 11,800 per kg and IDR 14,800 per kg for premium rice. 

According to the National Food Price Strategy Information Center (PIHPS), the price of medium quality rice on Friday (23/2) ranged from IDR 15,500 to IDR 15,650 per kg. Currently, the price of the best quality rice ranges from IDR 16,500 to IDR 17,000 per kg. However, in the market, the price of premium rice can reach Rp 18,000 per kg. The current price is much higher than the price ceiling.

Find more news and articles on Google News