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View all search resultsIndonesia’s rice market is in turmoil, despite the government’s claim of holding the largest rice reserves in history. Prices continue to rise, consumers are paying more for lower-quality rice and the government’s response risks deepening the uncertainty. Its crackdown on rice businesses accused of producing oplosan rice, where medium-quality rice is mixed and sold as premium, is suspected of depleting supplies to retailers and driving up prices.
In his State of the Nation address on Friday, Prabowo has taken a strong stance against corruption, warning all those who engaged in such activities that he would bring down the entire force of the law against them, regardless of their position or party.
The CPI grew 2.37 percent on an annual basis last month, primarily due to volatile foods component, which rose by a steep 3.82 percent, along with a monthly uptick of 0.82 percent in education costs to coincide with the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered strong law enforcement against companies or individuals violating quality standards for premium and medium-grade rice, following alarming findings of a recent surge in illegal blending across the country.
The government plans to use the simplified categories "special" and "regular", with Bappenas to set the standard price for the latter, to combat the illicit practice of blending different grades of rice for selling at premium prices, which the President has condemned as a brazen "criminal act".
Record-high yields in the first four months of the year has helped expand the national rice reserve from 1.7 million to 3.5 million tonnes, inadvertently leading to a shortage of storage facilities but also creating an export opportunity.