Rice is the foundation of Indonesian cuisine. The locals are well-versed in the varieties, can distinguish taste and texture, and often stick to their favorite brand. The quality of grains is taken seriously here.
A special team from the Bali Police's Criminal Investigation Department conducted an unexpected inspection following reports of possible sales of counterfeit rice labeled as premium. The raids took place on July 22 in Denpasar — on Kebo Iwa Street (Padangsambian area), at Badung Market, and at Tiara Dewata Mall on Diponegoro Street.
Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade, the state corporation Bulog, and the Bali Food and Drug Monitoring Agency also participated in the inspection.
No violations were found: both premium and regular rice met the stated quality. There were no cases of underweight or packaging forgery.
According to the authorities, this is just the beginning of regular checks, which will now be conducted on an ongoing basis. The head of Bali's Agriculture and Food Security Department, Wayan Sunada, stated that rice stocks on the island are more than sufficient: 'Bali's annual demand is about 414,000 tons, and the current stocks are ample.'
He also clarified that the agency has already inspected several markets and found no signs of counterfeiting. In case of violations, cases will be referred to the police. The maximum retail price for premium rice in Bali is currently 16,000 rupiahs per kilogram.
In 2015, Indonesia experienced its first 'plastic rice scandal.' At that time, Denpasar conducted a series of market inspections: no counterfeits were found.
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