Coordinating Minister Zulhas Asks Bulog To Absorb 3 Million Tons Of Rice Prices Rp. 12,000 Per Kg

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan asked Perum Bulog to absorb 3 million tons of rice at this year's main harvest. Absorption is carried out because production is predicted to increase.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), he continued, production at the beginning of this year would increase by 50 percent compared to the same period last year.

"Earlier, our meeting was a bit long, indeed we had to buy as much as 3 million tons in this short time in January, February, March, April, the 3 million absorbs in rice form," he said after a coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs Office, Graha Mandiri, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, January 22.

The man who is familiarly called Zulhas said that based on the results of today's meeting, Bulog proposed that the price of rice absorption be around Rp. 12,000 to Rp. 12,500 per kilogram (kg).

However, he continued, the decision on the price range would be continued at a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto.

"We have an agreement on the coordination meeting, but it has not become a decision after we will bring the meeting (limited meeting) first. So now it is still valid at Rp. 12,000. But to reach 3 million, that is Bulog's proposal, we agree here, but later it will be brought to the meeting," he said.

Separately, Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi explained that the assignment of absorption of 3 million tons was an assignment in one year.

However, Arief said Bulog needed to absorb in the first semester or the first six months of 2025 because the production was more compared to the next semester.

"Because if later in the second semester, the production is below, fighting over rice collectors. If it's a fight, the price will go up. We're told to keep people's purchasing power too," he said.

For information, Perum Bulog targets to absorb 1.4 million tons of rice in the first harvest season which will take place in March and April this year. This amount is equivalent to 70 percent of the total target of 2 absorption of rice in 2025.

Bulog Corporate Secretary Arwakhudin explained that the absorption of 1.4 million tons of rice at this year's harvest will be divided into three types, namely dry harvest unhulled rice (GKP), dry milling unhulled rice (GKG), and rice.

The distribution of this absorption jesin, Arwakhudin, said it was done because each type of commodity had different needs.