Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Viral Instagram posts claiming Indonesia controls global rice prices and has completely halted rice imports are entirely false. The hoax videos alleged that a domestic import ban forced Vietnam and Thailand to lower their global commodity pricing.

In reality, an investigation by tempo.co and international market data revealed that global rice prices actually dropped after India reopened its massive grain export market.

"The decline in commodity prices was triggered by an abundant global supply, not by Indonesia's domestic policies," explained Adhitya Wardhono, an economics researcher at Jember University, adding that Indonesia still selectively imports specialty rice.

Furthermore, data from the US Department of Agriculture confirms that Indonesia's position in the global rice trade market remains mathematically minor, meaning domestic policy shifts lack the structural leverage to dictate global baseline prices.

(mg/sy/pr/rs)