Successfully Pressing Rice Inflation, Airlangga Ensures Food Aid Distribution Program Continues

Airlangga Hartarto (DOK Kemenko)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the food aid distribution program would be extended until June 2024 because it was considered successful in suppressing the increase in rice prices in the community, especially the rate of rice inflation. It was recorded that the rate of rice inflation in September 2023 reached 5.61 percent and fell to 0.48 percent in December 2023. This was conveyed during a dialogue with the community or recipients of Food Assistance (PBP) in Serangan Village, Denpasar City, Bali Province, Saturday, January 13, 2024. The recipients of the assistance have backgrounds including fried food traders, household assistants, laborers, cleaning services, and shell-seeking fishermen. " “ In the last Cabinet Meeting I asked the President, because I have also traveled to several areas, almost all of them asked for BLT to continue. Alhamdulillah, the President agreed to continue until June 2024. We are technically discussing it again,” said Airlangga in his official statement, quoted on Sunday, January 14. Airlangga added that the government will continue to distribute rice food aid which is one of the cushions for people who are vulnerable to the impact of rising food prices. In addition to helping to ease the burden on the community, the assistance is also expected to mitigate the increase in the poverty rate. Furthermore, the government will again allocate national rice food assistance in 2024 to 22 million PBP which will receive 10 kg of rice/month each. For the Province of Bali itself, assistance will be distributed to no less than 188,617 PBP.

Airlangga said that this food aid is a government program to ease the burden on the community, especially due to the increase in food prices that occurred due to El Nino, the delay in the harvest season due to the drought last season. "Earlier, the community had also expressed their aspirations, especially regarding the sustainability of this assistance, and I will convey it to the President,” concluded Airlangga.