Badanas Asks Local Government To Intensify Cheap Food Movement Programs On The Third Week Of Ramadan

JAKARTA - Head of the NFA National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi asked the local government (Pemda) to intensify the low-cost food movement program (GPM) in the third week of Ramadan until before Eid Al-Fitr 2024.

This step, continued Arief, is needed as a form of state presence in providing affordable food and is urgently needed at the moment of Ramadan to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr National Religious Holidays (HBKN).

He also said this program was needed as a step to anticipate the increase in demand (demand) for foodstuffs in the fasting momentum. According to Arief, this increase in demand must be watched out for so as not to have an impact on the surge in inflation.

"Therefore, we ask that the GPM be increased in escalation on the third week of Ramadan until before Eid," he said at the Food Supply and Price Security Coordination Meeting Ahead of Fasting and Eid Al-Fitr, at Kempinski Grand Ballroom, Jakarta, Monday, March 4.

Currently, said Arief, inflation is one of the challenges for Indonesia but is experienced by all countries in the world. Referring to BPS data, the national inflation in February 2024 was 2.75 percent (year on year), with the largest contribution from rice of 0.67 percent.

In addition to GPM, continued Arief, his party also asked all regional heads to come down the mountain to monitor the distribution of rice market operations or stabilize food supply and prices (SPHP) to markets.

"Kaami hopes that regional heads will also participate in monitoring traditional markets and modern retail markets to oversee the distribution of SPHP rice and other government programs in efforts to control prices and food inflation," he explained.

"During the HBKN holy month of Ramadan to Eid al-Fitr, there will be a monev of food supply and prices by the K/L cross-sectional team to the regions, so that people feel safe and comfortable in carrying out worship in this holy month of Ramadan," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian emphasized that food affairs must be handled synergically with all stakeholders. Local government support is an important factor in maintaining national inflation.

"Inflation at the regional level really must be controlled because the national inflation rate is an aggregate, not only the work of the central government but also the main thing is the local government with the existence of TPID, the Regional Inflation Control Team led by governors and regents/mayors," said Tito.

Therefore, Tito asked regional heads to intensify the implementation of the Cheap Food Movement by utilizing various allocations of funds.

"Continue to monitor prices and stocks for the certainty of food availability, so that we understand the development of prices and dynamics. Local governments carry out their own cheap food movements from various allocations such as fiscal incentive funds, Unexpected Expenditures (BTT), distribution subsidies, and even deconcentration funds for regions allocated by the National Food Agency," he said.