Bulog Imports 20,000 Tons Of Meat Ahead Of Ramadan: Guaranteed Stock, People Don't Have To Worry

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Logistics Affairs Agency (Bulog) is known to have a work plan to import a total of 20,000 tons of meat from abroad this month.

Bulog's Director of Supply Chain and Public Services, Mokhamad Suyamto, said that 60 percent of them had entered Indonesia at the end of last week. While the rest, as much as 40 percent, will come at the end of March 2022.

"We have made arrangements and accelerated as much as possible for the process of arrival of this imported meat stock, then with cold storage facilities and infrastructure network owned by Bulog will soon be distributed throughout Indonesia," he said in a press statement quoted Wednesday, March 9.

According to Suyamto, his party guarantees that the demand for frozen meat is available in the community even though there is a seasonal spike.

"We hope that the efforts made can overcome the demand for frozen meat to face Ramadan and Eid so that people don't have to worry," he said.

Similarly, Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi appreciated the strategic steps taken by Bulog in terms of meat importation this year.

"We will encourage SOEs in the food sector who have been assigned to accelerate the entry of national stock reserves. Through the arrival of this meat, I ask that it be distributed directly to the regions," he said.

Citing data reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, it is known that as of March 2, 2022, the availability of beef or buffalo for the period March to May 2022 was 234,091.2 tons.

Meanwhile, the domestic demand for meat is 202,937.8 tons, so there is still a surplus of 31,153.4 tons.