Jakarta,
Dec 15 (Antara) -- Indonesia's rice stock of 1.7 million tons kept in
warehouses of state logistics board Bulog is enough to meet the need for
rice during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.
State logistics board Bulog also set aside 230 thousand tons of rice
for market operation in December 2014 in an effort to maintain rice
price stability during the holidays.
According to Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, Indonesia has ample rice
stock to ensure that price stability is maintained during the upcoming
Christmas and New Year holidays.
"We will do our best to provide adequate rice stock in the market so
that price stability continues to be maintained at the consumers'
level," the trade minister stated on the sidelines of his visit to a
warehouse of national logistics board Bulog for Jakarta and Banten here
on Monday.
Minister Gobel added that based on market price monitoring across the
country, there was no significant fluctuation or increase in the price
of rice. The average price of medium rice increased by only 0.75 percent
from Rp9,274 per kilogram last week to Rp9,344 per kilogram. In
Jakarta, the cost of rice is stable at Rp9,640 per kilogram.
Besides preparing 1.7 million tons of rice stock, Bulog also set aside
230 thousand tons of rice for a special market operation (OPK).
Acting president director of Bulog Budi Purwanto said on Monday that
the OPK was prepared for 15.5 million target families (RTS) across the
country and was launched as per requests from regional governments.
"The
OPK was launched to curtail the increasing price of rice. If the 230
thousand tons are distributed and the cost of rice declines, we will
halt it later," Purwanto noted while accompanying Gobel during his visit
to Bulog warehouse for Jakarta and Banten on Monday.
The
volume of rice released by Bulog for the OPK is in line with the
quantity of rice it released per month, which stands at 230 thousand
tons.
He added that the rice distributed through the operation was that of
the medium type with each target family getting 15 kilograms.
On the price of the rice to be distributed to the target families,
Purwanto pointed out that no figure had been decided so far, but it will
be discussed with the government. In the coming two or three days, the
price of the OPK rice will be finalized.
Furthermore, Gobel added that based on market price monitoring across
the country, there was no significant fluctuation or increase in the
price of rice.
The average price of medium rice increased by only 0.75 percent from
Rp9,274 per kilogram last week to Rp9,344 per kilogram. In Jakarta, the
cost of rice is stable at Rp9,640 per kilogram.
However, there was an increase in the observable price of the commodity
in the Cipinang Wholesale Rice Market (PIBD), East Jakarta, where the
price of medium rice is now IR 64 (I, II, III), an increase of 3.30
percent, 3.35 percent and 3.70 percent, respectively, when compared to
that of those on December 1, 2014.
He added that the Bulog warehouse had rice stock of 1.7 million tons,
which is sufficient to meet the need for rice in the country for about
seven months. The government also conducted a market operation of 51,944
tons of rice, of which 3,360 tons was distributed in December this
year.
The minister was visiting the Bulog warehouse to assure and know the
reality of rice stock in the field, particularly for the Jakarta and
Banten division areas that consume rice in very large volumes.
Moreover, as the rice stock in the field is adequate, Gobel affirmed
that the government has no intention of importing the commodity yet.
"We can only import rice if there is a request from the Ministry of
Agriculture. If we import rice, it is always based on a recommendation
from the ministry. We ensure coordination to achieve food sovereignty,"
the minister remarked.
According to him, the rise in the cost of rice was currently still
within a tolerable limit as it rose by only 0.75 percent.
Gobel remarked that the price usually increased in the December-January
period because supply to the market declined as a result of the decline
in rice production in production centers.
The minister also added that rice price developments in the face of the
upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays are different from those in
the run up to the Muslim fasting month and during the Muslim Idul Fitri
holidays.
Price increase during Christmas and New Year holidays is usually not
significant, or it happens only in regions where the majority of the
population celebrates Christmas.
Therefore, if the cost of the staple increases in the December-January
period, it is because of the impact of shortage in production centers.
With regard to rice production this year, Director General for Food and
Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture Haryono recently pointed out that
based on the Forecast I (ARAM I) figures of the Central Board of
Statistics (BPS), the country's production of unhusked rice is estimated
to reach 69.87 million tons.
However, results of ARAM II 2014 reveal that Indonesia's dry unhusked
rice production is projected at 70,607,231 tons, which is 672,478 tons
lower than the forecast for the same period in 2013, which stood at
71,279,709 tons.
According to Forecast II 2014 (ARAM II) of the BPS, rice production in
Indonesia declined by 0.94 percent compared to that in the same period
last year due to drought.
"The
decline in rice production has been attributed to scarce rainfall and
the decrease in rice field acreage in Java," BPS Chief Suryamin stated.
***2***
(T.014/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(H-YH)
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 15-12-2014 23:15:1 |
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