BULOG puts Indonesia's rice stock at 4.8 million tonnes after Cipinang market inspection

Indonesia's state logistics agency Perum BULOG and Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) carried out an unannounced inspection of Pasar Induk Beras Cipinang (PIBC) in East Jakarta on Friday, 2 October 2026, reporting abundant stocks, uninterrupted supply and controlled prices at the country's largest rice trading hub. BULOG said the rice stock it manages nationally stands at around 4.8 million tonnes, covering both government assignments and commercial sales.

Inspection at the national price barometer

According to detikcom, the inspection was intended to verify availability, supply, quality and price directly at one of the biggest barometers of national rice trade. Officials examined kiosks and traders' warehouses and spoke with merchants to get a factual picture of trading dynamics. Stocks were described as adequate with good turnover, with supply arriving from production centres in West Java, Central Java and East Java.

The visit was led by Commission IV chair Siti Hediati Hariyadi, known as Titiek Soeharto, and attended by BULOG president director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, National Food Agency (Bapanas) secretary Ito Hediarto, Bapanas Deputy I for food availability and stabilisation Hermawan, the chair of the Indonesian Rice Milling Association (PERPADI), the police food task force and the traders' association APPSI. “We are here to make sure that rice stocks are sufficient, available and secure, and that prices are stable and affordable for the public,” Titiek said, as quoted by Majalah Hortus. She said the warehouses behind the kiosks held large volumes, that turnover was good, and that she found no weevil-infested rice while walking the market.

Stock of 4.8 million tonnes and daily volumes

Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani said the stock is the basis for serving demand for both medium and premium grades, and dismissed talk of scarcity. The figures he gave on daily flows show how much of the market BULOG actually touches:

• around 4.8 million tonnes of rice managed by BULOG nationally;
• about 507 tonnes of premium rice prepared per day across Indonesia — roughly 10% of national requirements, with the remaining 90% supplied by private operators, according to detikFinance;
• up to 4,000 tonnes a day distributed through the Food Supply and Price Stabilisation programme (SPHP).

Production data and the end of imports

Supply stability coincides with rising national paddy output. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded milled dry grain production of 43.89 million tonnes through August 2026, while rice for household consumption rose to 25.29 million tonnes, detikFinance reported.

“What matters is that we are no longer importing. Everything is already produced domestically,” Titiek said, adding that stronger output should translate into better incomes for farmers. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman attributed the harvest to continued state intervention, including irrigation pumps and strengthened farm inputs against extreme weather: “We go down to the field, we install pumps, we must not give up. We cannot let farmers walk alone, we have to step in.”

Prices, food aid and the affordability question

Prices at Cipinang have eased. detikFinance reported a decline of Rp 400–500 per kilogram following the distribution of 30-kilogram food aid packages to households in income deciles 1 to 4, and said stocks are sufficient into next year on the back of an abundant harvest. Commission IV, as reported by Antara, focused on keeping distribution moving from producers through to consumers at PIBC, arguing that a strong stock alone does not guarantee affordability if logistics from mills and BULOG warehouses to retailers falter.

Not all coverage accepted the reassurance. Koran Jakarta questioned why rice remains expensive if the reserve really amounts to 4.8 million tonnes. BULOG said it will keep strengthening supervision and coordination with the government, Commission IV, Bapanas, the police food task force and private traders to maintain availability and affordable prices across Indonesia, and that it is focused on moving rice quickly from upstream to downstream rather than on the size of the stockpile alone.