Printing A Record, Bulog Secures Government Rice Reserves Amounting To 1.63 Million Tons

Bulog Business Director Febby Novita and Bulog Bayu Director Krisnamurthi (right). (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

The rice supply that has been secured by Perum Bulog reaches 1.63 million tons as of early May 2024.

This figure is the highest since 2020.

The stock is the result of domestic absorption and import procurement.

Bulog President Director, Bayu Krisnamurthi said 1.63 million tons of rice were the highest in the last four.

He said, previously the rice stock that was secured by the company was always below the current volume.

"So thank God, both through overseas procurement management and very incentive businesses in the regions, with various programs including the Rice Grain pick-up program, now we have a stock of more than 1.6 million tons," he said when met by reporters in Pela Mampang Village, South Jakarta, Friday, May 3.

Bayu said the rice supply met food needs nationally, as well as for the food supply and price stabilization program (SPHP) aka market operations to social assistance (bansos) for 10 kg of rice in the second phase.

"And this is very sufficient to support programs such as food assistance and later also support the SPHP program," he said.

Bayu explained, as of May 2, 2024, Bulog had procured 560,000 tons of domestic rice equivalent to harvested dry rice (GKP), or 273,000 tons of rice equivalent.

On a daily basis, Bayu said Bulog was able to absorb 30,000 tons equivalent to GKP, this number had increased from the previous one which was at the level of 10,000 tons.

"The procurement of Bulog so far has reached 30,000 tons per day. Much greater than the average procurement that is usually carried out by Bulog at 10,000 tons," he said.

Furthermore, Bayu said the realization of rice imports that entered Bulog's warehouse ranged from 1.2 to 1.3 million tons in the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, Bulog's rice import quota was 3.6 million tons.

"The import stock may currently be 1.2 to 1.3 of the 3.6 (million tons) quota," he said.