GOVT TO SLOW DOWN MARKET OPERATIONS

Jakarta, March 3 (ANTARA) - The government will slow down rice market operation in various areas because rice prices are now relatively stable.

"The government will be more selective in its market operations because rice prices have started to lower," state logistics agency (Bulog) President Director Sutarto Alimoeso said here after attending a coordination meeting on food resilience at the office of the coordinating minister for economy here on Wednesday.

According to him, the highest rice price in Medan, North Sumatra, at present was recorded at Rp6,000 per kilogram but it has started to drop a bit in a number of areas following the arrival of the harvest season.

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that since mid- February to early March rice prices have dropped.

"From mid February to early March the rice prices have been stable following the arrival of harvest season," Mari Pangestu said, adding that the price stability was also due to smooth rice distribution during the market operation.

But in Palu, Central Sulawesi, the local Bulog has been asked to to continue its rice market operation in the province to stabilize fluctuation rice prices.

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