Bulog Surakarta Distributes SPHP Rice to Gedhe Market in Klaten
Post-Idul Fitri 1447 Hijriah celebrations, the availability of staple necessities, particularly rice, continues to be maintained at Gedhe Market in Klaten. Amid these stabilisation efforts, the price of medium-quality local production rice remains above the government’s purchase price (HPP) of Rp13,500 per kilogram.
To maintain supply while curbing price surges, Bulog Surakarta Branch continues to distribute rice under the Stabilisation of Food Supply and Price (SPHP) programme to the traditional market. In the past week, six tonnes of SPHP rice have been channelled.
Head of Bulog Meger Warehouse, Syamsoel Bahri, stated that the distribution of SPHP rice is carried out to ensure rice availability remains secure while controlling prices at the market level.
“To maintain rice availability for community needs, Bulog Surakarta Branch continues to distribute SPHP rice to Gedhe Market in Klaten. This week, there have been two distributions, totalling six tonnes,” he explained to Media Indonesia on Thursday (2/4).
Syamsoel emphasised that the SPHP distribution aims to prevent rice shortages in the market. For the needs of Klaten Regency residents, the rice stock at Meger Warehouse is ensured to be in a safe condition.
Currently, the rice inventory is recorded at 13,180 tonnes and has the potential to increase through procurement or absorption of production yields.
The six tonnes of SPHP rice, or approximately 1,200 five-kilogramme packages, were distributed to sundry goods traders at Gedhe Market in Klaten who are partners of Bulog Surakarta Branch. The rice is supplied to traders at Rp56,750 per package.
“The government sets the highest retail price (HET) for SPHP rice at Rp62,500 per pack or Rp12,500 per kilogram. The price of rice at the market trader level is below the HET for medium rice of Rp13,500 per kilogram set by the government through Bapanas,” he said.
Although SPHP rice distribution continues, the price of local medium-quality rice at Gedhe Market in Klaten still holds above the government’s highest retail price. Medium-quality rice such as C-4 is sold by traders in the range of Rp14,000 to Rp14,500 per kilogram.
A sundry goods trader on the ground floor of Gedhe Market in Klaten, Sunarti, revealed that the high prices are influenced by the expensive supply from rice mills, which remains in the range of Rp13,700 to Rp13,900 per kilogram.
“If it’s SPHP rice, I sell it according to the HET of Rp12,500 per kilogram or Rp62,500 per pack. Even though this market continues to receive cheap rice from the government, there are still many customers looking for medium C-4 and premium Mentik Wangi rice,” said Sunarti.
The distribution of SPHP rice post-Idul Fitri is part of the government’s steps to maintain national food stability, particularly to ensure rice availability remains secure and prices remain controlled at the consumer level.