JAKARTA: Michael Wattimena, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV, which oversees the agriculture sector, among others, said on Tuesday the policy would affect farmers’ income as the harvest season would come within the next two weeks. Meanwhile, the imported rice is scheduled to arrive late this month. “Don’t let our farmers pay the price because of the government’s decision to import,” said Wattimena, as reported by tribunnews.com adding that the government should have a proper policy to stabilise rice prices. The lawmaker also criticised the government-sponsored Food Taskforce (Satgas Pangan), which he claimed knew nothing about the ongoing the price increase. The government has set ceiling prices for medium-quality rice according to region: 9,450 rupiah per kilogram in Java, Lampung, South Sumatra, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi; 9,950 rupiah per kg in the rest of Sumatra, Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara and 10,250 rupiah per kg in Maluku and Papua. However, Bank Indonesia’s price tracking website hargapangan.id showed a gradual increase in rice price in many parts of the country.
