Badanas Boosts Cheap Food Movement

Head of Badanas Arief Prasetyo Adi visited President Joko Widodo while visiting Lacaria Market, North Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi, in May 2024. (Photo: Doc. Badanas)

JAKARTA - The community's accessibility to staple food at affordable and quality prices is the achievement target that the National Food Agency (NFA) wants to achieve. The low-cost market operations scheme through the Cheap Food Movement (GPM) program is consistently and successively implemented by NFA together with local governments in collaboration with BUMN, BUMD, private actors, and MSMEs.

Head of NFA Arief Prasetyo Adi said that through the implementation of GPM, the government's presence to the community could bring the government closer, especially the government's task regarding the provision of staple food at a reasonable and good price for the community. This GPM is one of the government's strategies in efforts to control inflation.

"Mr. President Joko Widodo every time he visits the regions, he must always check the food situation in the market and ask about the inflation rate. This is because the ups and downs of food prices are closely related to the inflation movement. So he asked that food prices be maintained and conditioned properly and fairly," said Arief in his statement in Jakarta, quoted Thursday, July 11.

"Through GPM in various locations in the country, the government is present to be closer to the community and the community can also get food at the best price and the quality is guaranteed. This cheap market operation has also been proven to be one of the most effective inflation control instruments," he continued.

As of July 10, the total GPM since January has reached 5,734 times. The details in January were 517 times in 14 provinces and 95 regencies. GPM in February totaled 838 times in 24 provinces and 170 regencies. Then GPM in March total 2,049 times in 35 provinces and 339 city districts. In April, GPM was 1,008 times in 34 provinces and 352 city districts. For May, GPM 443 times in 20 provinces and 88 regencies and in June there were 564 times in 29 provinces and 167 regencies.

GPM this month, a total of July 10 has been successfully implemented in 127 locations. Furthermore, GPM will continue until the end of July in 188 locations, bringing the temporary total of GPM in July to 315 times spread over 17 provinces and 101 regencies and cities. This number will increase along with the ongoing collaboration between NFA and local governments.

The achievement of GPM in the first half of 2024 has far exceeded the achievements in the previous year. As is known, the total GPM until mid-December 2023 is at 1,591 locations. This proves the government's serious commitment to continue to boost the supply of staple food that is very much needed by the wider community with low-cost market operations.