Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) and Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said the government is addressing various irregularities in the food sector, including alleged food mafia practices that affect consumer prices.
“President Prabowo is addressing the irregularities occurring in this republic, including in the agricultural sector,” Sulaiman said in a statement on Thursday.
According to him, stricter supervision is necessary as the national rice supply remains secure, with government rice reserves managed by state logistics agency Bulog reaching 5.3 million tons as of mid-May 2026.
Based on data from Statistics Indonesia, national rice production from January to May 2026 is projected to reach 16.8 million tons. National consumption during the same period is estimated at around 12.8 million tons, resulting in a surplus of nearly four million tons.
As part of the supervision measures, Bapanas is intensifying inspections of fortified rice distribution.
The agency will also conduct laboratory tests to verify nutrient content claims, as fortified rice is required to contain nutrients such as vitamins B1 and B12, folic acid, iron, and zinc.
At the same time, the government is seeking to maintain a balance between food price stability and farmers’ welfare.
To ensure farmers remain profitable, the government has set the minimum purchase price for dried unhusked rice (GKP) at Rp6,500 per kilogram, according to Bapanas Deputy for Food Availability and Stabilization I Gusti Ketut Astawa.
Based on Bapanas monitoring as of May 19, the national average price of GKP at the farmer level reached Rp6,947 per kilogram, up 2.61 percent from a month earlier and 0.40 percent higher than the previous week.
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Translator: Harianto, Kenzu
Editor: Primayanti
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