Rice stocks stable at 200,000 tons

Rice stocks stable at 200,000 tons

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Logistics Agency has about 200,000
tons of rice which is enough to meet the city's demands during
the Christmas and Idul Fitri holidays, an official said.

Ardiansyah, head of the agency, told The Jakarta Post on
Wednesday that maintaining rice stocks was necessary to help
stabilize the staple food's prices.

"When supply is enough, prices are normal," he said. "But if
the stocks are limited, the prices will escalate."

One of the agency's programs aimed at stabilizing prices
involves planned releases of rice to the markets, conducted in
conjunction with the city public order office and Jakarta's
Economic Development Agency (Binekda).

The rice stocks include high- and medium-grade rice. High-
grade rice includes the Rojolele, Cianjur Slip, Cisadane and
Pandan Wangi varieties, while the medium grades consist of a
mixture of grades.

Binekda's head Sanjoyo said rice prices have risen by an
average of 5.5 percent due mainly to price increases by
wholesalers at the Cipinang market in East Jakarta.

The price of Cisadane rice, for example, has increased by Rp
200 (U.S. 6 cents) per kilogram from last week's price of Rp
1,375. Despite the increases, the prices were still at a
tolerable level, he said.

Prices of other basic needs have also increased over the last
few days, including cooking oil from Rp 1,600 to 1,800 per
kilogram, onions from Rp 900 to Rp 1,400, garlic from Rp 5,075 to
Rp 5,550 and red chili from Rp 4,600 to Rp 4,875, he said. (07)