Bulog Boss Express Constraints In Absorbing Farmers' Corn

President Director of Perum Bulog, Bayu Krisnamurthi (photo: between)

JAKARTA - The government has assigned Perum Bulog to absorb corn from farmers' harvests until May 2024. Currently, domestically, the corn harvest period is also entering.

President Director of Perum Bulog, Bayu Krisnamurthi revealed that his party had absorbed as much as 8,500 tons of corn from January to May 2, 2024.

"So the biggest one combined is from Gorontalo and Bolaang Mongondow. That's about 4,500 tons. And Bima, that's about 3,500 tons, the others are small. So the number is approximately 8,500 tons," he said when met by reporters at the Pela Mampang Village Office, South Jakarta, Friday, May 3.

In the absorption of farmers' corn, said Bayu, Bulog faced obstacles. One of them is in Bulog's dryer or dryer facility in Gorontalo and in Dompu Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) which has not been operating optimally.

Unfortunately, Bulog's dryer is not operating optimally at this time. Because this is just the construction. So still commissioning, it's still a trial," he explained.

Bayu targets that next year the facility can operate optimally. Currently, the Bulog dryer facility drys 160 tons of corn per day.

Furthermore, Bayu said the optimization of the dryer was needed because corn itself had to be dried immediately so that it could be stored in Bulog's warehouse. If it is not dried, it will be damaged quickly.

If the corn is stored, entered the warehouse, the water level is more than 15 percent, then it will be very quickly damaged. The color turns a bit black because of the fungus. So that's the problem," said Bayu.

Bayu also said that the corn that had been absorbed would be distributed after the harvest was over. As is known, Bulog absorbed corn and will be distributed to farmers as feed.

"That's why later we will guard (the price of corn), after we have stock, we will distribute it later when there is no harvest anymore. Now let it be harvested first. Don't let us go now," he said.