Secure Setok For Eid, Badanas Assign ID FOOD And PTPN Import 215,000 Tons Of Sugar

Sugar (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA The National Food Agency (Bapanas) has secured the availability of consumption sugar on the National Religious Holidays (HBKN) of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr 2023. This step is carried out by optimizing domestic sugar stocks and accelerating the procurement of sugar by Food SOEs.

Actually, said Arief, the stock of sugar to meet the needs of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr this year is in a safe position. Currently, the fulfillment of sugar is still maximizing domestic crops.

Meskipun demikian, Arief mengatakan Bapanas juga telah melakukan percepatan proses pengadaan sugar konsumsi impor oleh BUMN Pangan dalam hal ini ID FOOD dan PTPN.

"We have carried out assignments, by submitting a letter requesting the assignment of the Minister of SOEs (Erick Thohir) to the Food SOEs, ID FOOD and PTPN Holding Plantations to procure foreign consumption sugar. The process is already underway," he told reporters, written on Sunday, March 26.

Through this assignment, the Food SOE ID FOOD and PTPN Holding Plantation will gradually bring in around 215,000 tons of white crystal sugar (GKP).

The entire licensing process from the Ministry of SOEs and the Ministry of Trade has been fulfilled. The arrival is carried out in stages. In March-May, it is targeted to enter around 99,000 tons of GKP," he said.

Furthermore, Arief said that the equitable period, the arrival of the GKP in March-May 2023 was carried out in three ports, namely the ports of Tanjung Priok Jakarta, Tanjung Perak Surabaya, and Belawan Medan.

"We distribute the arrival in three ports so that the distribution is faster and evenly distributed. This is to increase stock and maintain prices in the midst of fasting and Eid," he explained.

Based on the Food Balance Prognosis compiled by NFA, the initial stock of national sugar in January 2023 was 1.1 million tons, the national sugar demand per month was recorded at 283,000 tons.

Arief said that based on the calculation of the national sugar demand, to secure the need up to Eid al-Fitr, his party had prepared additional sugar supplies.

"Given that during holidays there is often a surge in demand and consumption, while the sugar milling season will only start around May," he explained.

According to Arief, the assignment of this procurement is in accordance with the agreement of the Technical Coordination Meeting (Rakornis) and the Ministerial Level Limited Coordination Meeting (Rakortas) in January, this is in order to maintain supply stability and food prices in 2023 and strengthen Government Food Reserves (CPP).

This step is also in line with the direction of the President of the Republic of Indonesia so that Ministries/Institutions in detail calculate and ensure food stocks for the community during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

Furthermore, Arief explained, consumption sugar is one of the strategic food commodities whose availability still has to be supported by foreign supplies. Given, domestic production has not been able to cover national needs.

Based on the Prognosis of the National Food Balance from January to December 2023, it is estimated that this year the domestic sugar production will be around 2.6 million tons, while the national sugar demand rate in 2023 is around 3.4 million tons.

"So the difference still has to be closed by foreign supplies. This foreign procurement step is what we accelerate from the start so that there is no shortage in society," he explained.

As for the NFA Food Price Panel, the national average price of consumption sugar at the consumer level as of March 24, 2023, is at IDR 14,416 per kg.

This price tends to be stable since October 2022 and is still below the Sales Reference Price (HAP) at the consumer level, according to the National Food Agency Regulation (Perbadan) Number 11 of 2022 which stipulates a sugar HAP at the consumer level of IDR 14,500 per kg.