'We have more than enough rice'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government called on people not to panic
\nyesterday, assuring them the country had a large supply of basic
\nfood commodities, including rice, to last until March.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto
\nSastrosunarto pleaded yesterday that people should trust the
\ngovernment in handling the monetary crisis and not be easily
\nincited by unfounded rumors.<\/p>\n
"We are asking people to remain calm, the government is
\nworking hard to take care of the needs of people for basic
\nconsumer goods across the country," Hartarto told a media
\nbriefing at the Ministry of Information office.<\/p>\n
On hand at the briefing were Minister of Information Hartono,
\nMinister of Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo, Minister of
\nTransportation Haryanto Dhanutirto and the head of the State
\nLogistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang.<\/p>\n
The government officials, minus Hartono, appeared in a live
\ninterview last night with state-run TVRI, also broadcast by
\nprivate television stations, to assure people that there was
\nenough stocks to supply basic needs.<\/p>\n
Hartarto said the provision of people's basic needs, including
\nrice, sugar, soybeans and wheat flour, was a routine government
\nprogram aimed at controlling inflation.<\/p>\n
He said the government had set up a crisis center together
\nwith the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Bulog and the Ministry
\nof Transportation to deal with supply and distribution.<\/p>\n
On Thursday and early yesterday morning, thousands of
\nIndonesians in several cities thronged at shops and supermarkets
\nto buy rice and other staples amid fears of rising prices and
\nshortages on the back of the rupiah's continued depreciation and
\nrumors of unrest.<\/p>\n
Hartarto said all the rumors were baseless and called on
\nhouseholds and traders not to panic and rush to supermarkets as
\nthere were enough stocks.<\/p>\n
Tunky said the government was building up adequate stocks of
\nbasic food items and that panic buying was not only unnecessary
\nbut would also be harmful to consumers.<\/p>\n
"So please don't create panic buying as this could destroy the
\nwhole system. If panic buying continues, however much we stock
\nsupplies, there will never be enough," Tunky said.<\/p>\n
There was no reason for panic buying as the government had
\nbuilt up adequate stocks of rice, sugar, soybeans, flour, cooking
\noil, meat, fowl and eggs from domestic production and imports.<\/p>\n
Beddu said Bulog held 1.4 million tons of rice stock, enough
\nto last until March, and would import two million tons, which
\nwould be delivered before March.<\/p>\n
"And when April comes, we will have a bumper harvest of rice,"
\nBeddu said.<\/p>\n
He said only 300,000 tons of rice had been imported so far
\nfrom Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, India and Pakistan but more was
\nexpected within the next few weeks.<\/p>\n
The agency was also increasing supplies of flour and sugar to
\nthe market, Beddu said, adding that there was "no reason for any
\nshortage".<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Tunky also called in retailers from the Indonesian
\nRetailers Association to get their views and commitment to help
\ntackle panic buying.<\/p>\n
This morning, Tunky is scheduled to have another meeting with
\nproducers and suppliers of basic consumer goods to get their
\nassurance about continuing supplies to the market.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the retailers association, Steve Sondakh, said
\nstocks of basic consumer goods held by retailers were actually
\nenough for meeting national demand until the end of March.<\/p>\n
But the rush on Thursday and early yesterday morning had
\ndepleted their stocks, he said.<\/p>\n
Steve, a director of publicly listed Hero Supermarket, said
\nthe increase in consumer goods prices, as a result of the
\nweakened rupiah, was not the responsibility of retailers, but
\nproducers and distributors.<\/p>\n
"Whatever prices given by producers and distributors, we just
\npass them on to consumers. But when the prices are too high, we
\nmust consult with the government," he said.<\/p>\n
Retailer Harry Dharmawan, co-owner of publicly listed retail
\nfirm Matahari Putra Prima, said his company would increase its
\npurchases of essential consumer goods to replenish stocks.<\/p>\n
"I will buy as much as possible, then sell to customers at a
\nmodest or even lower margin, so that people will not panic,"
\nHarry said. (rid)<\/p>\n
Panic buying -- Page 2<\/p>\n
Hoarding -- Page 3<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/we-have-more-than-enough-rice-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }