{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1736483,
        "msgid": "food-coordinating-minister-government-ready-to-provide-subsidies-if-imported-food-prices-exceed-het-1778659121",
        "date": "2026-05-13 13:53:22",
        "title": "Food Coordinating Minister: Government Ready to Provide Subsidies if Imported Food Prices Exceed HET",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Economy",
        "summary": "Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, has assured that the government will intervene with subsidies if prices of imported food items like soybeans exceed the highest retail price (HET) amid the weakening rupiah. This measure aims to shield consumers from price hikes, with interventions including subsidies for distribution costs or direct price stabilization, involving central and local governments. Hasan emphasized the need for swift responses from regional authorities and coordination with entities like Bulog and the National Nutrition Agency to maintain stable food supplies nationwide.",
        "content": "<p>Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli\nHasan (Zulhas) stated that the government is prepared to provide\nsubsidies if prices of still-imported food items such as soybeans exceed\nthe highest retail price (HET) amid the weakening exchange rate of the\nrupiah.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will safeguard it; if the price exceeds the HET, the government\nwill certainly step in to provide subsidies,\u201d Zulhas said after\ninspecting food prices and supplies at Palmerah Market, Jakarta, on\nWednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The statement was made in response to the potential impact of the\nrupiah\u2019s weakening trend on prices of several imported food commodities,\nincluding soybeans.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, the rupiah exchange rate closed weaker by 36 points or\n0.21 percent at Rp17,532 per US dollar on Tuesday (12\/5) from Rp17,496\nper US dollar previously.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, based on data from the Market and Essential Needs\nMonitoring System (SP2KP) of the Ministry of Trade as of 12 May 2026,\nthe national average price for imported soybeans was recorded at\nRp13,607 per kilogram, up 0.19 percent from the previous day.<\/p>\n<p>According to Zulhas, interventions can be carried out through\nsubsidies for distribution costs or price stabilisation assistance to\nensure the public is not burdened by the price increases.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBoth the central government, provincial governments, and district\ngovernments have budgets for unforeseen expenditures and for that\npurpose. So it will be subsidised, whether the costs or the prices,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n<p>He urged local governments to act quickly if price increases occur in\ntheir respective regions.<\/p>\n<p>He assessed that accelerating responses is important so that if price\nfluctuations occur, the increases do not excessively burden the\npublic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it\u2019s slow, the housewives will go on strike and we\u2019ll be in\ntrouble. So it must be quick. I invite regents and governors to act\nquickly if there are problems in their areas. We respond quickly\ntogether,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>According to him, the central government can also intervene through\ncoordination with various parties, including Perum Bulog, the National\nNutrition Agency (BGN), and transportation subsidies for food\ndistribution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe central issues like (coordination with) Bulog we handle, BGN we\nhandle, Ministry of Transportation we handle, state budget we handle,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n<p>During the inspection at Palmerah Market, Zulhas stated that the\nnational food supply conditions are generally still safe, including\nrice, eggs, chicken, and chillies.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/food-coordinating-minister-government-ready-to-provide-subsidies-if-imported-food-prices-exceed-het-1778659121",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}