Jokowi Asks For Rice Reserves To Exist Even Though Surplus Production

President Jokowi and Head of Badanas Arief (Photo: Doc. Badanas)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked every region in Indonesia to continue to prepare rice reserves even though rice production is a surplus. Given that government food reserves both at the central and regional levels are important factors to maintain supply stability and food prices.

This was conveyed by Jokowi after reviewing the supply of rice stocks at the Bulog Baru Warehouse in East Rawang, Padang City, West Sumatra Province, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

"Actually, West Sumatra Province has a surplus, but whatever is called reserves (rice) it must exist. Therefore, if we look at the Bulog reserve (rice) warehouse, there is a lot," he said, quoted from the official website of the State Secretariat, Thursday, October 26.

During the visit, Jokowi also handed over food assistance for government rice reserves (CBP) to beneficiary families (KPM). Jokowi hopes that KPMs can receive all assistance three times until next November.

"This is the distribution of food aid in the form of rice in September, October, in November I checked that someone has received it once, some have received it twice. I think later in November everything will be finished three times," he said.

Not only until November, according to the President, the government has decided to add CBP food assistance in December.

"We will add more in December, our decision once again (to provide food assistance)," he said.

In addition, Jokowi revealed that the government is also preparing a scheme for providing direct cash assistance (BLT) el nino to the public. This is intended to maintain people's purchasing power in the midst of the super el nino phenomenon that occurs.

Karena ada super el nino dan kita tahu ini jangan sampai mengurangi daya beli rakyat, daya beli masyarakat, kita juga akan mengeluarkan BLT el nino pada bulan November dan Desember, Rp200,000, Rp200,000, (total) Rp400,000, jelasnya.