BULOG ASKED TO CONTINUE MARKET OPERATIONS IN C SULAWESI

Palu, March 1 (ANTARA)- Central Sulawesi state logistics agency (Bulog) has been asked by the local people to continue its rice market operations in the province to stabilize fluctuating rice prices.

"If necessary, rice market operations should be expanded to other areas outside Palu," Palu Selatan resident Ms Fauzia said here on Monday.

She said that besides expanding the operations to other areas, Bulog should also drop the level of the highest retail price (HET) of rice to make it affordable for the local people.

According to Fauzia, the market operations conducted by Bulog over the past few days had so far not caused rice prices at local markets to drop.

Although the market operations have been conducted, rice prices at several traditional markets remained high.

The price of rice with medium quality ranged from Rp5,800 to Rp6,500 per kilogram while that of the best quality such as buri-buri, monda, cimandi, manalagi, kepala, and superwin ranged from Rp6,700 to Rp7,000 per kilogram.

The figures are still much higher than the government buying price (HPP) this year which was fixed at Rp5,060 per kilogram.

Besides Fauzia, Ms Maria of Birobuli Selatan subdistrict also asked Bulog to add the distribution points of rice market operation because many of the local residents had yet to know the market operation activities.

"Many of us have yet to know the market operation activities because of lack of familiarization," Ms Maria said, adding that the rice prices of market operations remained high.

To stabilize fluctuating rice prices in Central Sulawesi, the local state logistics agency has conducted market operation since Thursday, February 18, 2010, but to date it has yet to lower the prices at local traditional markets.

Local Bulog spokesman Makkeng Ali said here that the market operation would continue because rice prices at traditional markets in the provincial city remained high.

"The market operation will continue as scheduled by Bulog in cooperation with Palu municipal administration," Makkeng Ali said.

In each operation, Bulog prepared at least five tons of rice to meet the demand of the people in Palu because 1,300 tons of rice had been allocated to support the market operation in the province.