We will also distribute the imported one (rice stock); we will use it all up for market operations in January, February, and March.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) will disburse 315 thousand tons of rice from the government's rice stocks through cheap market operations until March 2023 to stabilize the price of the commodity at the consumer level.

The President Director of Bulog, Budi Waseso, said here on Tuesday that the National Food Agency (NFA) has instructed his party to channel the rice reserves obtained from both domestic production and imports to the community through its operations.

"We will also distribute the imported one (rice stock); we will use it all up for market operations in January, February, and March," he added at the Jakarta Presidential Palace Complex.

The rice distributed through the operations will be premium imported rice, which is priced at Rp8,300 per kilogram (kg).

The price is lower than the national average price of Rp12,900 per kg for medium rice.

To anticipate the hoarding of imported rice amid the implementation of cheap market operations, the Bulog president director said that his party has coordinated with the National Police’s task force for food and the Cipinang Food Station.

The NFA has tasked Bulog with disbursing 1.2 million tons of the government's rice stocks through market operations in 2023 to maintain the stock and price of the commodity.

Earlier, Bulog had distributed 100 thousand tons of rice through the Food Supply and Price Stabilization Program (SPHP) in early January 2023 to reduce the rising price of the commodity, in accordance with the directives of President Joko Widodo.

Bulog is selling the commodity at a price ranging from Rp8,300 to Rp8,900 per kg, according to the regions.

The rice is being sold for Rp8,300 per kg in Java, Lampung, South Sumatra, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and Sulawesi regions.

Meanwhile, in Sumatra, except for Lampung and South Sumatra, Kalimantan, as well as East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) regions, the price of Bulog rice has reached Rp8,600 per kg.

The agency is selling the commodity at a price of Rp8,900 per kg in Maluku and Papua regions.

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Translator: Mentari Gayati, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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