Tracking State Involvement in Rice Trade: The Case of Parepare Port in the Makassar Strait Area, 1933−1942

The global economic depression of the 1930s prompted the state to intervene in various aspects of the economy in the Dutch East Indies, including the rice trade. The fall in international rice prices made domestic production rice even more incapable of competing with imported rice. This situation inspired further involvement of the colonial government in the rice trade in the Dutch East Indies during the 1930s. This article discusses the state’s involvement in rice trade during the depression of the 1930s with a focus on the Port of Parepare in the Makassar Strait area. By using historical methods, this study relies on sources, such as official reports of colonial officials, journals, newspapers, and magazines. The findings of the study show that the involvement of the colonial government had a significant effect on the rice trade at the Port of Parepare. State intervention not only changed the rice trading system but also had a positive impact on the dynamics of the Port of Parepare. This article also shows that the dynamics of a port is entirely dependent on the presence of the state in trading activities, in addition to its strategic position and support for the hinterland region.