Dolog denies auctioning rice

Dolog denies auctioning rice

YOGYAKARTA: The Provincial Logistics Agency (Dolog) denied on
Wednesday traders' accusations that it had auctioned its rice
supplies to the highest bidders.

Several traders complained that they had to pay as much as Rp
2,800 a kilogram for Dolog rice, compared to the maximum official
price of Rp 2,000 a kg.

"That's impossible," the head of procurement and distribution,
Yudha Winata, said. "Anyone who does that stands to gain little
but risks getting fired. It wouldn't be worth it," he reasoned.

Yudha said Dolog released its stocks of rice at Rp 1,850 a kg
to wholesalers, who in turn sell to retailers at Rp 1,950.

"The retailers should sell it at Rp 2,000 to consumers," he
said.

Any irregularities that caused Dolog rice to retail at higher
prices in the market were likely to have occurred between the
wholesalers and retailers, he said, adding that the agency would
scrap wholesalers caught breaking the rules. (23)