Bulog Distributes Imported Rice To 12 Points In Indonesia, Buwas: If It's Not Monitored It Could Disappear

President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Main Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso alias Buwas said that rice imported by Bulog entered 12 points in Indonesia. He said, the distribution of this rice must continue to be monitored.

As is well known, Bulog received assignments to import as much as 500,000 tons of rice from various countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Pakistan. This rice has been entered gradually since the end of December 2022, and is targeted to enter in full until February 15, 2023.

The purpose of this importation is to meet people's consumption needs as well as intervene in the price of rice in the market which is still expensive through various schemes, including market operations.

Regarding the fraudulent practice of selling Bulog rice, Buwas said, the National Police's Food Task Force would continue to monitor it. Rice supervision of Bulog's market operations will continue to be developed throughout Indonesia.

"This is also the Regional Police or Polri ranks, especially the Food Task Force, who are not just silent today. Will continue to be developed throughout Indonesia. Because I brought this imported rice, I dropped it at 12 points in the province that needed this rice," he said in Serang, Banten, Friday, February 10.

But unfortunately, Buwas did not specify the provincial points in question.

Even so, he emphasized that supervision in the 12 provinces is absolutely necessary.

If the rice from the Bulog market operation is caught by rogue elements, then it will not be able to achieve the goal of stabilizing rice prices.

"If it is not monitored, this rice will disappear. Lost in the sense of the word will not affect the problem of lowering prices. (Meanwhile) during the harvest period which is expected in March, prices will remain high," he said.

For your information, Bulog's imported rice imported from a number of countries is priced at IDR 8,300 per kilogram (kg) at the warehouse level. Meanwhile, at the consumer level, the price is set at IDR 9,450 per kg.

As an effort to control, said Buwas, his party had carried out inspections at a number of points. One of them is the Cipinang Rice Main Market in Jakarta.

"We have been doing this continuously, yesterday we inspected it, it has been found (violations), I will convey to friends that the Food Task Force will definitely follow up. Today proved it," he said.