He confirmed on Sunday that the government is acting on President Prabowo Subianto's directive to curb the surge in rice prices.
Under the Food Price Stability (SPHP) scheme, the government has distributed 1.3 million tons of rice at affordable prices ranging from Rp12,000 to Rp12,500 (around US$0.77) per kilogram.
The operation has so far yielded positive results, with 13 provinces reporting lower rice prices. Sulaiman expressed confidence that prices will continue to decline as the initiative proceeds.
He also urged the public not to be misled by claims suggesting the government is ignoring the issue, stressing that a range of measured policies have been put in place to safeguard both consumers and farmers.
To protect farmers, the government has raised the government purchasing price (HPP) of unhusked rice to Rp6,500 per kilogram. According to Sulaiman, this policy has boosted the Farmers' Exchange Rate (NTP), indicating an improvement in farmers’ welfare compared with the previous period.
Nationwide rice stock has now exceeded 4 million tons, ensuring food security is maintained, he noted.
"This figure marks a significant increase compared with 2023–2024, when stock stood at just over 1 million tons and Indonesia was forced to import rice," he added.
Sulaiman further cautioned the public not to be swayed by misleading narratives from parties whose business interests may be disrupted, emphasizing that the policy ultimately benefits both consumers and farmers.
Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi reported that 239,500 tons of rice had been distributed under the SPHP scheme by the third week of August.
He explained that the program was initially designed to run throughout the year, with a target of distributing 1.5 million tons. In January–February, some 181,100 tons were distributed.
The program was temporarily halted during the harvest season to ensure that the price of unhusked rice remained at least Rp6,500 per kilogram. Exceptions were made for certain areas such as Papua, where subsidies are still provided.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Anton Santoso
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