Jakarta (ANTARA) - The price of rice started to decline in as many as 29 cities and regencies in Indonesia in March 2023, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The deepest decline occurred in Mataram city, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), where the price fell 8.5 percent year-on-year (yoy).

"In general, the declines have started to occur in a number of cities in Java and Sumatra," Deputy of Distribution and Service Statistics Field at BPS Pudji Ismartini informed at a press conference on the Consumer Price Index (IHK) in March 2023, in Jakarta on Monday.

The deputy revealed that the deepest price decline on Sumatra Island was seen in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, at 3.42 percent yoy, and on Java Island, it was recorded in Serang city, Banten, at 4.72 percent yoy.

Furthermore, in the Bali-West Nusa Tenggara regions, the steepest fall was reported in Mataram at 8.5 percent yoy.

The biggest decline in the Maluku-Papua regions was just 0.29 percent yoy and was witnessed in Merauke, South Papua.

However, the price decline was not a nationwide phenomenon, she noted.

As many as 60 cities are still experiencing an increase in rice prices and the rate is stagnant in one city. The highest increase has been recorded in Luwuk City, Central Sulawesi, at 25.44 percent yoy.

"In addition to Luwuk, the high increase in price has also occurred in Palopo City in South Sulawesi at a figure higher than 10 percent yoy," she added.

Providing further details, Ismartini said that a 2.82 percent increase has been recorded in Bengkulu City, Sumatra Island; a 4.72 percent yoy hike has been reported in Yogyakarta City, Java Island; and a spike of 7.86 percent yoy has been seen in Maumere City, East Nusa Tenggara, in Bali-Nusa Tenggara regions.

As for other regions, such as Kalimantan Island, the highest increase in price has occurred in Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, at 3.11 percent yoy. Meanwhile, the price has risen by 25.44 percent yoy in Luwuk City, Sulawesi Island, and 2.65 percent yoy in Manokwari, West Papua, in the Maluku-Papua regions.

Meanwhile, the lowest price increase in Kalimantan Island has been recorded in Banjarmasin city, South Kalimantan, at just 0.23 percent yoy. In Sulawesi, it has been recorded in Kotamobagu City, North Sulawesi, at 1.42 percent yoy.

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Translator: Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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