Enough Rice Stock, Bulog Boss Budi Waseso Asks The Public Not To Worry

President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso (Buwas) asked the public not to worry about the availability of rice.

Buwas said, Bulog guarantees that rice needs are available in the community at affordable prices. Although it is undeniable that there is a slight price increase.

"People don't worry, Bulog has sufficient rice stock for the Market Operation program which has been running smoothly throughout this year, and now we are increasingly massive this Market Operation throughout Indonesia," said Budi Waseso, in an official statement quoted on Tuesday, October 4.

Currently, he continued, Bulog is very focused on efforts to intervene in rice price stability in the community.

So Bulog seeks the maximum in the implementation of the stabilization program without any element of interest except the interests of the people.

"We are also conducting continuous price monitoring in the midst of the current situation and involve all relevant stakeholders including the Food Task Force," said Budi.

The Market Operations activity or KPSH Program carried out throughout the year by Bulog has proven to be effective in maintaining rice price stability at the consumer level. This activity is also a realization of the Three Pillars of Food Security assigned to Bulog, namely availability, affordability and stability.

Meanwhile, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapana) Arief Prasetyo said the condition of the government's rice reserves (CBP) at Perum Bulog is currently still around 800,000 tons.

This amount is lower than CBP during normal conditions, which is 1.2 million tons to 1.5 million tons.

Arief said, Bapanas continues to encourage this number to be increased through absorption.

"This week we together with Bulog friends will go to South Sulawesi to absorb. We have to top up the stock of Bulog up to 1.2 million tons. So no matter how much our market traders partner will have to meet. At PIBC itself there is a request of 3,000 tons per week, we must prepare this because Jakarta contributes 27 percent to the national level," he said.

The volume of distribution of rice through KPSH carried out by Bulog until last September has realized around 200,000 tons.

Meanwhile, KPSH in PIBC has been prepared up to 70,000 tons for implementation until February 2023.

"The first batch of distribution will be 300 tons starting today, October 3, 2022," he said.

To ensure that this price stabilization program runs on target, Arief asked that all traders distributing KPSH rice must sell medium rice under HET.

"KPSH distribution to PIBC traders also involves DKI Jakarta food BUMDs, namely the Food Station and the Perpadi association. This program is also supported by the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, the National Police Food Task Force, the DKI Provincial Government, and Bulog. This shows the solidity of collaboration between stakeholders to maintain food security," he said.