Rice Stock at Cipinang Central Market Sufficient: President Jokowi

President Jokowi inspects Cipinang Central Market, Jakarta, Thursday (02/15). (Photo: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Thursday (02/15) visited Cipinang Central Market in Jakarta to monitor the rice stock at the market.

“I come to Cipinang Central Market to ensure that rice stock here is available because from this market, the rice will be distributed to retail stores, supermarkets, and regional markets. So, I want to make sure that the rice stock is available and sufficient. I also see that the stock is abundant,” President Jokowi said after the visit.

According to the President, the price of rice has increased because the harvested rice has not entered the market yet due to floods in Demak regency and Grobogan regency; hence impeding the distribution.

“I think the problem has been solved by distributing rice stock at the State Logistics Agency (BULOG) to the regions and Cipinang Central Market. We will monitor it. I think within a week or two, the rice price will decrease slightly, while we are waiting for the harvest. If the great harvest comes, the price will be normal,” he said.

To keep the price of rice in check, President Jokowi has also ordered related agencies to distribute rice stock to the markets and the regions, be it SPHP rice (rice provided for stabilizing food supply and price) or commercial rice.

On that occasion, the President also declined the assumption that the rising price of rice was triggered by the Government’s food aid, adding that the food aid distributed to the people was part of the Government’s efforts to control the rice price by increasing the supply for the people.

“There is no correlation with the rice aid at all. There’s no correlation at all with the [increasing] price. It can give control since the supply is distributed through social aid to the people, the price is under control. Otherwise, the price will jump higher. It is the law of supply and demand. If the supply is provided and distributed well, the price will automatically be under control,” the President remarked. (TGH/UN)(AW/EP)