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Rice prices rising in Yogyakarta partly due to 'Bansos’
The increase in rice prices in Yogyakarta in the past three weeks is attributed partly to high demand following the frequent distribution of social assistance (Bansos) in the province.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (second left) throws T-shirts to residents of Telukan village in Sukoharjo, Central Java, during a work visit to the region on Feb. 1, 2024. During the visit, Jokowi began the disbursing 10-kilogram packs of rice to 22 million low-income people, which is scheduled to run until June. (Antara/Mohammad Ayudha)
T
he skyrocketing price of rice in Yogyakarta is caused, among other things, by rice distribution through the social assistance (Bansos) program and an uneven harvest, a provincial official said on Monday.
Currently, the price of rice in the province has reached Rp 17,500 (US$1.12) per kilogram.
“Right now some locations are entering the harvest season, but we have not reached the peak yet,” Yogyakarta Industry and Trade Agency head Syam Arjayanti said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.
“It [peak harvest season] is predicted to occur from March to April."
Another factor was high demand, Syam said, caused by the Bansos program.
“Although Bansos distribution began last year, more and more Bansos has followed."
Syam believed rice prices would stabilize if the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) could purchase rice from farmers during the peak of the harvest season to replenish the government's stock.
