Head Of Badanas: Rice Distributed By Bulog, Government Efforts To Maintain Food Price Balance

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

MANADO - Head of the National Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi said the government will continue to intervene in the market to balance food prices in the market.

"The rice food assistance that was started to be distributed by Bulog is one of the government's efforts to maintain the balance of food prices in the community," said Arief, on the sidelines of the Working Visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in Bitung, North Sulawesi.

He emphasized that it is necessary to achieve price balance at the producer and consumer level.

However, he said, this has been taken into good account by the government so that people do not need to worry about food prices which are currently uncertain.

"So it's true, the government has several programs as a form of market intervention to balance food prices," he said.

The first intervention was through the Cheap Food Movement (GPM) which was also carried out by Bulog, then the next intervention was the Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) program which was channeled to modern retailers, traditional markets and the main market.

"And what is being carried out today is the distribution of 10 kg of Food Aid to each Beneficiary Family (KPM)," he explained.

Director of Supply Chain and Public Service (SCPP) Perum Bulog Mokhamad Suyamto, who was also present at this activity, emphasized that his party will continue to carry out positive maneuvers to rice prices that are still volatile by ensuring the availability of rice in various distribution outlets is sufficient.

He emphasized that Bulog is currently distributing rice to all distribution channels as well as a low-cost food commodity sales program close to residents' locations so that this is expected to facilitate public access to rice.

"All distribution outlets, both the main market, traditional markets and modern retail, have been distributed by SPHP rice so that people do not have trouble finding rice," he explained.

And most recently, he said, in addition to implementing government programs such as this Food Assistance.

"We also go directly to the community by implementing a low-cost basic food sales program whose destinations are close to residential areas," he said.

A resident of Paceda Cathrine Village (69) said that he was grateful to the government for the food aid rice he received every month.

For him, this government program is very useful because the aid rice he receives can meet his family's daily consumption needs.

"We hope that the government will continue to help us with this Food Assistance from Bulog, may God bless," he said.

Also attending to accompany the President in this activity were Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Tohir, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (ATR) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi, Director of SCPP Perum Bulog Mokhamad Suyamto, Governor of North Sulawesi Oloy Dondokambey and Mayor Bitung Maurits Mantiri.