VIDEO RISET 10

Summary

On March 13, 2023, hundreds of people rushed to the Kupang City Square in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, to receive shopping coupons for the first day of the cheap rice market operation by Perum Bulog. Amid a rice crisis in Kupang, where medium rice prices soared to 14,000 per kg and even 17,000/kg in remote areas, the operation capped rice prices at 9,000 per kg for 500 people with a limited supply of 2.5 tons. The scarcity of rice stocks in NTT has been attributed to weather impacts on supply. The government warns of the severe rice crisis affecting the poor, with poverty rates in the province at 20.05% as of January 2023.

Takeaways

• 📢 Hundreds of people rushed to the Kupang city square in East Nusa Tenggara to get shopping coupons on the first day of the cheap rice market operation by Perum Bulog.
• 🏪 The operation was held amid a rice crisis in Kupang city, with medium rice prices reaching up to 14,000 per kg in remote areas, and soaring to 17,000/kg.
• 📈 The price of rice had increased by 4,000 to 5,000 per kg compared to before the crisis.
• 🛒 During the operation, the price of rice was capped at 9,000 per kg, but only 500 people were provided with coupons due to limited rice availability.
• 🔖 Each coupon holder was allowed to buy only 5 kg of rice, reflecting the scarcity of the supply.
• 🌾 Milky Lakka, the business manager of Perum Bulog's NTT office, stated that the scarcity of rice stocks in NTT is due to weather impacts on the supply chain.
• 🚚 Efforts are being made to stabilize rice prices by maximizing the supply from the markets and branches, despite weather-related challenges.
• 🙏 There is hope that by the end of March, the supply from East Java, NTB, and Sulawesi will be sufficient to stabilize prices.
• ⚠️ The government has issued a stern warning about the ongoing rice crisis, indicating that NTT is not in a good state and that any brush-up in prices will be unaffordable for the poor.
• 📊 The poverty rate in the province is high, reaching 20.05%, or 1.1 million people out of 5,514,216 total population as of January 2023.
• 📝 The script highlights the urgency and severity of the rice crisis in East Nusa Tenggara and the measures being taken to address it.

Q & A

What event took place on March 13, 2023, in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara?

On March 13, 2023, hundreds of people gathered in the city square of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, to receive shopping vouchers on the first day of the operation of a cheap rice market organized by Perum Bulog.

Why were people queuing up for shopping vouchers at the market in Kupang?

People were queuing up for shopping vouchers to purchase cheap rice, as there was a rice crisis in Kupang, with prices soaring to 14,000 per kg in remote areas and even 17,000/kg in some places.

What was the price of medium rice before the crisis in Kupang?

The price of medium rice before the crisis had increased by 4,000 to 5,000 per kg from its previous price.

What was the fixed price of rice during the Perum Bulog operation?

The fixed price of rice during the Perum Bulog operation was set at 9,000 per kg.

How many people were allowed to receive the vouchers for cheap rice, and what was the limit on rice purchase per person?

Only 500 people were allowed to receive the vouchers, and each voucher holder was permitted to buy only 5 kg of rice.

What was the total amount of rice prepared by Perum Bulog for the vouchers?

Perum Bulog prepared two and a half tons of rice for the vouchers.

What is the role of Milky Lakka, the business manager at the NTT branch office, in this situation?

Milky Lakka, as the business manager, stated the cause of the rice scarcity in NTT and mentioned efforts to maximize the supply of rice to stabilize prices.

What factors have affected the supply and distribution of rice in NTT according to Milky Lakka?

Milky Lakka mentioned that weather conditions, particularly at the end of the year, have affected the transportation of rice, impacting the supply to the market.

What is the expected outcome for the rice supply in the last week of March 2023?

It is hoped that by the last week of March 2023, the supply from East Java, NTB, and Sulawesi will have arrived, allowing for the maximization of efforts to stabilize rice prices.

What warning did the government give regarding the rice crisis in NTT?

The government warned that if the crisis continued, the prices would become unaffordable for the poor, indicating that NTT was not in a good situation and that any brush-up would result in high prices.

What is the poverty rate in the province of NTT as of January 2023?

As of January 2023, the poverty rate in NTT province reached 20.05%, affecting 1.1 million people out of a total population of 5,514,216.