Guaranteeing Safe Rice Stock To Face Eid Al-Fitr, Bulog Urges People Not To Panic Buying

JAKARTA - Perum Bulog has 1.1 million tons of stock spread across all warehouses throughout Indonesia. The stock is believed to be able to meet the needs of the community during fasting and Eid 2024.

Director of Supply Chain and Public Service of Perum Bulog, Mokhamad Suyamto, said that the current controlled stock is sufficient.

"People don't need to worry and panic buying. The availability of stock from Bulog is 1.1 million tons spread across Bulog's warehouses throughout Indonesia," he said in a discussion at the Ministry of SOEs Building, Jakarta, Wednesday, March 20.

In addition, Suyamto revealed, Perum Bulog has also absorbed the harvest unhulled rice (GKP) this March.

He said, there are two absorption schemes, namely by PSO and commercial.

At the beginning of this year, said Suyamto, Bulog had absorbed more than 21,000 tons of rice equivalent.

"We also have modern infrastructure that can support the process of absorbing grain/rice, namely 10 large-scale Padi Milling Center points throughout Indonesia which currently absorb up to 7,000 tons of unhulled rice. Perum Bulog is committed to absorbing grain or rice as a form of commitment to farmers in Indonesia," said Suyamto.

Meanwhile, Suyamto revealed, Perum Bulog targets the distribution of rice supply stabilization and food prices (SPHP) throughout Indonesia to be 250,000 tons for March until it enters the holiday period.

He explained that one of the goals of disbursing SPHP rice is so that people can enjoy the price of rice directly according to the Highest Retail Price (HET) in the midst of the high price of rice.

"The disbursement of the SPHP Rice distribution includes the modern retail market, traditional markets, the Cheap Food Movement in collaboration with the local government and active market operations," said Suyamto.