TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman has announced plans to distribute 180 thousand tons of rice per month over the next two months as part of a social assistance program.
"Over the course of two months, we will distribute a total of 360 thousand tons to support the underprivileged," Amran stated in a written release on Monday, June 2, 2025.
The rice aid will be prioritized for non-rice-producing regions such as Papua and Maluku, as well as major urban centers that lack rice production. Additionally, Amran confirmed that rice-producing areas, particularly those in Java where prices exceed the government's procurement price (HPP), will also receive assistance.
This targeted distribution approach is part of a broader strategy to support the farmer's exchange rate (NTP). "We have strategies in place to ensure that prices remain good for both farmers and consumers," he explained.
Amran emphasized that food assistance will be distributed in a careful and selective manner. The government, he stated, is focused on balancing the welfare of farmers with ensuring that rice remains affordable, especially for low-income and vulnerable populations.
He also assured that rice distribution will not compromise national stock levels at Perum Bulog, the State Logistics Agency. As of Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 9:41 PM WIB, the Ministry of Agriculture reported that Perum Bulog had absorbed 2,407,257 tons of rice, with total national reserves at 4,001,059 tons. Monthly rice absorption is projected to reach 400 to 500 thousand tons.
"Reserves remain secure and prices at the farmer level remain stable," Amran said.
He credited this performance to directives from President Prabowo Subianto encouraging increased domestic production. A key policy has been setting the HPP for harvested dry unhusked rice at Rp 6,500 per kilogram and eliminating the rafaksi (price adjustment) system.
"Farmers are now enjoying profitable selling prices, even during the harvest season," Amran noted in a written statement on Friday, May 30, 2025.
In late January, the government revoked rafaksi rules that previously adjusted prices based on rice quality. Under the new regulation, Bulog must absorb harvested paddy regardless of its condition.
Previously, only paddy with up to 25% moisture content and 10% impurity was eligible for full-price absorption. Anything beyond that was subject to rafaksi. Critics believe the old system led to declining prices at the farmer level, as lower-quality paddy fetched lower returns.
This shift in policy is formalized in the National Food Agency's (Bapanas) Decree Number 14 of 2025, which amends the previous Bapanas Decree Number 2 of 2025 on the HPP and rafaksi for paddy and rice.
Han Revanda contributed to the writing of this article.
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