The Rice Price Is Right
Some farmers are profiting from the rise in the price of rice, although sharp increases in production costs still cause difficulties.
January 24, 2006
Haji Inen, 58, looks happy. This farmer from Cengkong village, West Java, is all smiles as he watches the hired farm hands harvesting his rice crop.
Two eager middlemen have already offered to buy out his harvest at a high price of Rp2,250 per kilogram of harvested dry rice grains. Inen should be delighted: this price is well above the government purchase price (HPP) of Rp1,730 per kilogram. Moreover, last years price was only Rp1,400 per kilogram
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