Minister Assures Stable Rice Prices Ahead Of Ramadhan

JAKARTA, March 29 (Antara) - Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman has assured that rice prices will be stable ahead of the fasting month of Ramadhan, which will start by the end of May 2017. "We have controlled rice (prices) as (rice) the production is better now. We assure that rice (prices) will be stable," he said at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs here on Monday. Rice prices have shown a downward trend thanks to good production, he stated, adding that the government will make an effort to stabilize rice prices. The minister noted that he had held a meeting with the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to discuss preparations for the fasting month by evaluating the current stocks and prices in anticipation of price volatility. The national rice stocks currently stand at 1.9 million tons, which are enough to meet demand in the next eight months. The figure is quite large compared to the previous years when the figure was recorded at an average of 1 million tons, he remarked. Bulog has bought rice from farmers as part of efforts to keep rice prices and stocks stable, he revealed. By doing so, Bulog will be able to play its role as a stabilizer, so that the commodity prices at consumer and producer levels will not be volatile, he added. "We must absorb (farmers' rice) as a solution (to keep stable rice price). We will revise the existing regulations," he asserted. In addition, the government will also cut a chain of supplies to maintain the stability of prices and stocks of strategic food commodities. "Looking ahead, the distribution must cut a chain of supplies, so that farmers will have profitable position and consumers can buy rice at better prices," he revealed. He also pointed out the efforts to stabilize the prices and stocks of chilies ahead of the fasting month. He expressed concern on the declining chili prices ahead of the fasting month which may harm chili growers. "We have agreed to keep chili prices at consumer and farmer levels, and traders can still make profit. The chili price will be Rp20-30 thousand per kilogram at the consumer's level and less than Rp20 thousand at the farmer's level," he remarked.