Han Revanda, Jakarta – Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman has spoken up about the rising rice prices ahead of Ramadan. He stated that there is no reason for the rise in staple food prices as current rice stocks are abundant.

"Prices went high in the past because of low stock. Now, the stock is plentiful, yet the prices remain high. This means someone is playing around," said Amran Sulaiman while attending the Magelang Regional Head Retreat 2025-2030 in Magelang on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, as quoted from an official statement.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency, Amran revealed that national rice production in January-March 2024 increased by 52 percent compared to the previous year. Therefore, he sees the high rice prices as an anomaly. He claimed that he would take action against anyone manipulating rice prices.

Amran added that the Ministry of Agriculture has intensified its efforts to ensure the acceleration of food self-sufficiency programs runs optimally. From the available budget, he admitted to cutting the cost of official trips and moving meetings from hotels to more cost-effective locations. "We ensure that every step taken truly supports the acceleration of food self-sufficiency," said Amran.

Based on observations from the National Food Agency price panel on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the national average price of premium rice rose by 0.15 percent compared to the previous day, reaching Rp15,518 per kilogram. Last week, the national average price of premium rice was Rp15,504 per kilogram.

Medium rice and the supply and price stabilization of staple food (SPHP) also saw consistent price hikes. Nationally, the average price of these staple foods is Rp13,658 per kilogram and Rp12,542 per kilogram, respectively. Last week, the prices were Rp13,633 per kilogram and Rp12,524 per kilogram. However, compared to the previous day, the SPHP rice price dropped from Rp12,551 to Rp12,542 per kilogram, a decrease of 0.33 percent.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1979803/minister-suspects-market-manipulation-behind-rising-rice-price