Bulog to sell cheap rice to poor households

State Logistics Agency (Bulog) plans to sell 4,000 tons of subsidized rice to the poor in August at about 30 percent of normal market value, an official says.

Chief of Bulog Bali’s taskforce for subsidized rice for the poor, Wayan Suyasa, told Antara news agency on Saturday that the market operation would target 134,384 poor households in eight regencies and one municipality in Bali.

He said that the subsidized rice would be sold to the poor for Rp 1,600 per kilogram in August in anticipation of an increase in rice prices after Idul Fitri, which falls on Sept. 10 and 11.

He said he hoped the low price would offer security for poor families in the event that food prices increased after the holiday period.

Bulog sold 13,460 tons of subsidized rice to the poor in Bali from January to July this year.

The agency sold 4,586 tons of rice in Buleleng regency, 3,439 tons in Karangasem regency and 1,200 tons in both Tabanan and Bangli regencies, Wayan Suyasa said.

To meet demand for subsidized rice for the poor, Bali has bought 6,500 tons of rice from
South Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara provinces, he said.