"There will be monitoring and sanctions and, at least, revocation of the license for those who sell rice above the ceiling price," Kalla said here on Tuesday.
The government has formulated sanctions against traders who violate the regulation, while waiting for the imposition of rice ceiling price on Sept 1.
Previously, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita noted that national rice traders have agreed on the imposition of ceiling price for medium and premium quality rice, which would take effect on Sept 1.
The ceiling price would be imposed in both traditional and modern markets. It was set at Rp9,450 per kilogram for medium quality and Rp12.8 thousand per kilogram for premium quality rice in Java, Lampung, South Sumatra, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi.
In Sumatra region, apart from South Sumatra and Lampung, East Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan, the ceiling price for medium quality rice was set at Rp9,950 per kilogram and Rp13.3 thousand per kilogram for premium quality.
For Maluku, including North Maluku and Papua, the ceiling price for medium and premium quality rice was set at Rp10,250 per kilogram and Rp13.6 thousand per kilogram, respectively.
The government has categorized rice into three types, namely first category, which includes medium rice with minimum milling degree of 95 percent, maximum moisture content of 14 percent, and maximum broken rice of 25 percent.
The medium quality rice could be sold in bulk or in packages, but it must enclose the medium label and its ceiling price in the package.
The second category includes premium rice with 95 percent of milling degree, maximum moisture content of 14 percent, and maximum broken rice of 15 percent. Premium quality rice is sold in packages and must enclose the premium label and its ceiling price as well.
Another category is special rice quality that would be managed separately by the Agriculture Ministry. This will include Thai Hom Mali, Japonica, Basmati, sticky rice, organic rice, and GI (geographical indication) certified rice.
"For this special rice category, we are yet to set (the ceiling price)," Enggartiasto explained.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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