Rice Harvest This Month Is Predicted To Reach 4.9 Million Tons

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said the harvest moment this month will reach 4.9 million tons of rice, when referring to the Sample Area Framework Survey (KSA) of the Central Statistics Agency.

Meanwhile, continued Arief, in May there will be a harvest of 3 million tons. Meanwhile, in March, the harvest reached 3.8 million.

"Now it's harvesting again. Last month it was 3.8 out of 3.5 million. So it will increase by 300,000 tons. Then reduced by Demak floods and others, around 17,000 hectares, it is equivalent to 200,000 tons. Then this month the harvest will be 4.9 months, around 3 million tons, yes, that's the time for all of us to absorb (rice)," he said at the National Food Agency Office, Jakarta, Thursday, April 18.

Therefore, Arief said that his party had asked Bulog to pick up the ball so that the absorption of rice at this harvest moment could be absorbed optimally.

Bulog had to pick up the ball, because yesterday in several places there was a fight with the private sector. So if the private sector is not full, Bulog then enters, the price will be high again. So, this is the beginning to fill the rice milling barns first," he said.

On the other hand, Arief said that currently the price of unhulled rice has indeed decreased along with the harvest season. He said rice imports would also not affect the price of unhulled rice at the farmer level.

Because, continued Arief, the supply of imported rice will be stored into government rice reserves (CBP). The rice is intended for rice food assistance to the distribution of supply stabilization and food prices (SPHP).

"The import was carried out by Bulog. Even though the body was still running, it entered the warehouse and was stored. It has nothing to do with the prices of farmers," he said.

"If the price at the farmer level now falls because of the harvest together, then it was wet yesterday. Then the capacity of the dryer, another Eid holiday," he continued.