REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Internal Affair Minister Tito Karnavian said food stocks in particular rice ahead of Ramadan until Eid al-Fitr 2024 are safe. This was stated by Tito after hearing the presentation of President Director of Perum Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi during the Coordination Meeting on Securing Food Supply and Prices Ahead of Fasting and Eid al-Fitri, Monday (4/3/2024).
Bulog reported government rice reserves (CBP) at 1.2 million tons and about 400,000 tons in the course of Bulog's warehouse as well as for commercial stocks of 19,697 tons.
“So we think stocks are relatively safe, imports also as I recall two weeks ago the Minister of Agriculture said that he had issued import recommendations. We hope that the Ministry of Commerce can accelerate the issuance of permits and imports will be carried out gradually to maintain stocks,” Tito said at Kempinski Grand Ballroom, Jakarta.
Tito said that this stock of rice will be strengthened with the harvest that begins to occur in some areas. To that end, he hopes Bulog in preparing a scheme to absorb the harvest.
“We expect the absorption of prices also to please farmers but also at the time of sale, so as not to make a profit but to make it too difficult for consumers to react. This will be the importance of Bulog's intervention,” said Tito.
In order to ensure price stability, the Government also encourages the implementation of Cheap Food Movement (GPM) in these areas. He encouraged local Government both provincial, district to city level to coordinate with Bulog in the area.
“Bulog delivered enough stock. Now living fellows utilize coordination with Bulog in their respective areas. If less, so that the stock can be increased so that there is no shortage. I guess it's a bid Dirut bulog needs to be captured by comrades in the area,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dirut Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi conveyed Bulog's observation regarding rice prices that tend to fall. Bayu exemplifies rice prices in Karawang Johar Market and some other areas that are starting to fall.
“From the observations in the traders, we took in Bengkulu, Jambi, Jateng, Yogya, the traders convey that they have sold rice cheaper at the moment,” he said.
Bayu said that currently Bulog's food stock is more than 1.2 million tons and about 400 thousand tons are on the way that will come in on schedule. According to him, from the stock numbers, Jakarta and East Java are the largest due to the interrelation of the presence of ports that can accommodate large ships for loading and unloading.
“But throughout Indonesia, God willing, stocks are available and we can make stock movements nationwide relatively soon as possible at most probably 5 to 1 weeks to be able to reach all of Indonesia,” he said.
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