Viral Corn Farmers Cry For Increased Prices, Here's Bulog's Response

JAKARTA - A viral video on Instagram social media shows corn farmers crying hysterically because the price of corn has fallen.

In the video uploaded to the Instagram account @dae***, a middle-aged farmer can be seen crying hysterically on a stretch of corn.

"The price of corn is very cheap," shouted the woman.

Responding to this, Bulog Business Director Febby Novita said that his party had reviewed the location of women in the video. Based on the information he got, at that location there was no corn price below the reference purchase price (HAP) set by the government, which was Rp. 5,000 per kg.

In fact, the woman's house in the video did not find abundant corn harvests. Bulog only found 20 kilograms (kg) of corn.

"Bulog has checked there, but it turns out that no corn was found at that price. In fact, Bulog there said it was not a stretch, but only 20 kg," said Febby when met at the Smesco Building, Jakarta, Friday, May 17.

On the same occasion, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said, if there is a similar incident, it is better to report to the local Bulog or Food Agency so that it can be absorbed.

"It's better if there is something like that, immediately tell us the location to be checked, not made viral. But, immediately tell us where the location is so we can absorb it," he said.

Arief said, because the number of harvest points was large, his party could not directly monitor or supervise everything. Therefore, his party also needs assistance from the community.

On the other hand, Bapanas has anticipated the price of corn that has fallen by increasing the price of HAP from Rp4,200/kg to Rp5,000/kg. This is done as a step to appreciate the efforts of corn farmers.

"To anticipate, we have raised the price from the previous Rp4,200, this year it is Rp5,000. We must pay attention to the agroinput subsystem (production factor). So, food crop products, such as corn, must be respected by farmers," he said.