Bulog Boss Reveals Farmer's Rice Absorption Has Reached 800,000 Tons

Illustration (Photo: Doc Antara)

JAKARTA - President Director of Perum Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi said that his party had absorbed 800 thousand tons of farmers' rice equivalent to rice until August 20, 2024.

"The total absorption of farmers' rice until August 20, 2024 has reached 800,000 tons," said Bayu, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 22.

Bayu said that his party is optimistic that it can absorb more than 900,000 tons of rice equivalent to domestic farmers this year.

Still, he said, currently the government's rice reserves (CBP) managed by Perum Bulog are 1.35 million tons.

In fact, it will increase 400 thousand tons from imports currently on the way.

"The rice stock in Bulog's warehouse until August 20, 2024, is 1.35 million tons plus 400 thousand tons, on its way or on its way to ships in the country of origin," he said.

In the absorption of domestic farmers' rice, Bayu continued, Perum Bulog has several mechanisms including buying unhulled rice and waiting in the warehouse.

In addition, Perum Bulog also bought unhulled rice by picking up the farmers. Then, the third mechanism is to buy rice as long as it comes from small rice mills purchased and processed, thus producing rice according to market wishes.

Previously, the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi asked Perum Bulog to maximize the absorption of domestic production as much as possible during the main harvest period, in order to strengthen the government's food reserves.

"I want to emphasize that as an institution assigned by the government to manage and distribute rice stocks in order to stabilize food, Bulog must move quickly to absorb by utilizing the momentum of the main harvest this time," said Arief.

He asked Bulog to build synergies with milling so that it can supply milling dry unhulled rice (GKG) to Bulog.

According to Arief, the rice processing infrastructure owned by Bulog in the form of SPP is expected to increase the maximum absorption capacity.