Bulog Has Stock of 1.6 Million Tons, Minister of Trade Asks People Not to Worry About Rice

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan said that the Government continues to make various efforts to stabilize rice prices. This includes maintaining domestic rice stocks.

Because of this, the man who is familiarly called Zulha asked the public not to worry about rice stocks.

"Currently the rice supply in Bulog is 1.6 million tons and there will be an additional 400 thousand tons. "There is a lot of rice stock so people don't need to worry," he said in an official statement, written Monday, September 25.

Zulhas said that the Cheap Food Movement or GPM is one of the efforts made by the government to maintain the Stabilization of Supply and Market Prices (SPHP), especially rice commodities.

Furthermore, Zulhas also said that the government, through the Ministry of Trade, is working with the Regent, Governor, Bulog and Bapanas to stabilize rice prices.

"This market operation is important to ensure the price of Bulog rice is IDR 11,000 per kg. Yesterday I went to Makasar, Papua, Lampung, now to Jambi, and tomorrow to Solo. "To check the price of rice and the availability of rice stock," he said.

In an effort to reduce the increase in rice prices, continued Zulhas, the government has assigned Perum Bulog to distribute SPHP rice at a selling price according to the Highest Retail Price (HET) at the consumer level, and implement GPM in collaboration with the Regional Government to provide food at affordable prices.

Apart from that, the Government is also accelerating the distribution of 10 kg of Rice Food Assistance to 21.3 million Beneficiary Families (KPM) which was originally scheduled to take place from October to September.

"I, together with the Governor, Bulog and Bapanas, will hand over 10 kg of Rice Food Assistance from President Joko Widodo to KPM. Rice Food Aid will be distributed during September, October and November. "If the APBN is loose, hopefully in January, February and March food aid will be distributed again," he explained.