Preventing Declining Rice Quality Needs Momentum For Improvement Of Food Governance

JAKARTA - The problem of decreasing rice quality is again in the big spotlight, not only because of its impact on the quality of people's food, but also because of the potential loss to the state which reaches trillions of rupiah.

The 'low quality' phenomenon occurs when the quality of rice decreases due to a number of factors, ranging from improper storage processes, mixing with low quality rice, pest attacks, to inadequate processing.

These changes not only affect texture, taste, and nutritional value, but also have a direct impact on the selling price in the market.

When news about 100 thousand tons of imported rice, which is threatened with being wasted due to declining quality, public and academic attention is increasingly focused on fundamental problems in the governance of national food reserves.

Quoting Antara, Professor of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), Dwi Andreas Santosa, explained that the rice was stored in a filial warehouse belonging to Bulog's partner.

This rice is part of the Government Rice Reserve (CBP) whose funding comes from the APBN. With the potential state loss of IDR 1.2 trillion, this event is a strong warning about the importance of more professional rice storage governance.

The inadequate storage process is one of the main causes of rice damage.

High humidity, unstable room temperature, direct sunlight, and unclean warehouse conditions often trigger the development of mold, insects, and microorganisms that lower the quality of rice.

When storage is carried out without strict standards, rice can become stale, smell bad, hard, or even lose its nutritional content.

To maintain the quality of rice, a proper storage strategy is needed. Storage in a dry place with low humidity is the main key to preventing mold growth and pest attacks.

In addition, the use of an underwater container helps maintain quality stability and prevent excess moisture. Storage warehouses should be kept away from direct sunlight and have a stable temperature in the range of 1525 degrees Celsius.

Cleaning up storage areas also needs to be a priority, because dust, dirt, and insect residue can be a major trigger for quality degradation.

Simple technology such as the use of moisture-absorbing materials, such as silica gels, can also help maintain the quality of rice longer. Routine inspection of stock conditions is an equally important step to prevent more severe damage.

On the other hand, the absorption of grain with any quality or the term any quality is a challenge in itself.

This practice is often carried out to pursue absorption targets, but without strict quality standards, the risk of falling quality rice is getting bigger.