Secure Stock Ahead Of Christmas And New Year, CBP 4,700 Tons From Thailand Arrives At Kupang Port

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA A total of 4,700 tons of rice from Thailand arrived at Tenau Port, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, today.

The arrival of this imported rice is to secure the Government Rice Reserve (CBP) stock ahead of Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024 in NTT.

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered the sufficient rice stock in all outermost areas, including those in NTT.

This was conveyed by Arief after directly observing the loading and unloading process for the arrival of the 4,700 tons of rice.

"In order to secure the need for Nataru, we make sure the stock is safe, especially for areas that celebrate Christmas as much as in NTT. People should be calm and enough to always shop wisely," said Arief, Wednesday, December 6.

Arief said the arrival of the 4,700 tons of rice supply for Perum Bulog in the NTT region would further strengthen existing stocks. As of December 1, the rice stock managed by Bulog NTT was recorded at 18,348 tons.

"We ask the special Bulog to receive the arrival of 4,700 tons to operate 24 hours. Pelindo is committed to loading and unloading 24 hours, so that Bulog's warehouse must also be ready to store this stock until the loading and unloading process is complete," he said.

With this existing stock, continued Arief, people in NTT can freely prepare Nataru.

This CBP stock is of course only used for government programs.

"In order to help the community at large, for example, rice food assistance and the Food Supply and Price Stabilization program (SPHP) in markets," he explained.

For your information, the Panhan Agency together with Perum Bulog continue to carry out rice food assistance to a total of 21.3 million Beneficiary Families (KPM).

Nationally, as of December 4, the progress of distributing rice food aid has reached a percentage of 73.87 percent or 630,752,800 kg of the total allocation of 853,851,760 kg.

Meanwhile, the realization of rice food assistance in NTT until December 4 has reached 52.83 percent or 17,821,080 kg of the total allocation until December 33,732,760 kg.

Furthermore, the realization of the distribution of SPHP rice as of December 4 has touched 93.18 percent or 1,011,014,855 kg of the total national target of 1,085,000,000 kg.

Specifically for SPHP in NTT, 29,716,206 kg or 90.05 percent of the target of 33,000,000 kg have been realized.

Meanwhile, the Head of Bank Indonesia Representative for NTT Province, S. Donny H. Heatubun, said that the arrival of imported rice from Thailand would certainly make stock ahead of Nataru more sufficient for the community's needs.

"We've been in line, in words with Bulog since the beginning of the year. Cheap market operations have been good so far, there are everywhere, so the results look good. Now that Nataru is approaching, we need to socialize wise spending to the public. We are ready to support that," said Donny.