Jokowi Says Rice Prices to Drop Next Month During Great Harvest
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Editor
4 March 2024 19:05 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo expressed optimism that the prices of rice will see a decline within the next month in tandem with the great harvest season. He also affirmed that the stocks of the staple food will be sufficient for Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2024.
“The great harvest will be in the next month so I think the prices will plummet significantly,” he told journalists at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta today, March 4, before leaving for Australia on an official visit.
He believed that there would be no issue with the stocks of basic commodities, including rice as the annual Muslim holiday comes after the fasting month.
When asked about the rising complaints over the soaring prices of rice, the state head asked people to check directly at the Cipinang Central Rice Market in East Jakarta or Johar Market in Karawang, where prices have experienced a downward trend.
“I have checked [the rice prices] in the field that they have dropped, but it does not represent the prices across the country. Check it yourself, don’t ask me, although I am aware that the prices fluctuate daily,” he said.
On March 2, the Agriculture Ministry stated that the national rice production from the great March-April harvest will reach 8.46 million tons. The Ministry’s Director for Food Crops, Suwandi, said this was based on Statistics Indonesia’s (BPS) data.
The National Logistics Agency (Bulog) also said that the prices of premium rice have started to stabilize ahead of the religious holidays of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
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