Rice prices remain stable

Rice prices remain stable

JAKARTA: Despite the recent increase in demand, rice prices at
Cipinang wholesale market were stable due to their adequate
supply, the market unit chief, Nasion Bhaktiono, said here on
Monday.

"As it is nearing the Muslim fasting month, traders have
increased their supplies to anticipate the growing demand," he
said, as quoted by Antara.

He said that there were no problems with the market's rice
supply, some 70 percent of which came from the northern coastal
areas of West Java and the rest from East and Central Java.

Usually, he said, the wholesale market received a supply of
between 1,800 and 2,000 tons per day. But the supply rose to
2,103 tons last Monday and to 2,859 tons last Friday. "Up until
this morning (Monday) we got a daily supply of 3,020 tons. We
expect to receive up to 3,175 tons today," he said.

He said that the supply had increased to meet the growing
demand, though rice prices continued to remain stable. The price
of Cianjur Kepala, for example, was stable at Rp 3,800 (4 U.S.
cents) per kilogram, Cianjur Slip at Rp 3,150 and Saigon Bandung
at Rp 2,700. -- JP