Bulog Asked To Optimally Absorb Grain From Farmers

JAKARTA - Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi asked food SOEs, especially Bulog, to optimize absorption in order to maintain the price of harvested dry grain (GKP) at the farmer level at Rp. 4,200 per kg.

"So that farmers' grain does not fall, business actors and the state-owned food company Bulog are expected to increase the absorption of grain according to the reference set by the government at Rp. 4,200 per kg for GKP," said Arief, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, May 31.

According to him, this increased uptake of unhulled rice can strengthen national food stocks, help maintain rice availability and price stability, and can improve the welfare of farmers because a lot of grain production has been absorbed and prices have not fallen.

"We see that in several countries, such as India, Vietnam and Thailand, which plan to limit exports of basic commodities, therefore it is necessary to strengthen national food stocks with a dynamic stock system," said Arief.

According to him, this has fulfilled several studies from institutions and academics such as Prof. Arif Satria, Chancellor of IPB, Prof. Ali from Gadjah Mada University, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade, Coordinating Ministry for the Economy and other food activists.

Arief continued, rice absorption could be through the government's rice reserve scheme (CBP) or B2B or commercial.

Meanwhile, the Association of Indonesian Rice Millers and Rice Entrepreneurs (PERPADI) Yogyakarta hopes that, in addition to absorption of grain through the two schemes above, State-Owned Logistics Enterprises (BULOG) can also distribute rice through government program social schemes such as Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), disaster management, and other schemes. other social services so that Bulog's stock can rotate and the quality is always in good condition.

"I heard some inputs from Perpadi friends, they hope that the government can maintain the price of farmers' grain, through Bulog and other food activists, so that the government has a strong food stock and farmers are prosperous," said the Head of the National Food Agency.

Previously, Bulog President Director Budi Waseso said that his commitment to being ready to absorb unhulled rice and rice from farmers was to anticipate the drop in grain prices, maintain price stabilization at the farmer level.

He ensured that the staple food that could not be delayed was rice commodities, therefore his party also guaranteed the strengthening of rice stocks in Bulog warehouses throughout Indonesia and ensured that the prices were affordable.