Coordinating Minister For Food Says Free Nutrition Food Budget Can Reach IDR 420 Trillion

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Photo: Doc. VOI)

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs (Menko Pangan) Zulkifli Hasan said that the budget for the Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG) could reach Rp420 trillion. The budget is to meet the raw materials of the program.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, said that the projected high budget was because food needs had also increased along with the program.

"Now it's IDR 71 trillion, until June. But Prof. Dadan (Head of the National Nutrition Agency) is trying to increase it by IDR 140 trillion, so all children will get food, so (total) IDR 210 trillion," said Zulhas in a limited coordination meeting in the food sector in East Java, reported by YouTube Kominfo MMC, Tuesday, January 7.

"But if it's full from January to December, it's more than more than IDR 420 trillion," he continued.

Zulhas said that if Indonesia does not immediately increase food production, then raw material spending will be higher. According to him, by achieving the target of self-sufficiency in food, budget spending can also be suppressed, especially for imports.

"Now we don't work hard, eggs, rice, all kinds of rice, fish, how much do we want, how many imports do we know? Our shame is that we are far behind Thailand, Vietnam. After the 28-year reform of Pak Suharto's era, our agriculture was built, but it's not a priority," he said.

Zulhas said there are various policies that are being discussed by the government to achieve the target of food self-sufficiency. First, accelerate irrigation development.

Then, continued Zulhas, the second is the regional extension policy. While the third is the procurement of fertilizers and seeds.

"This is in the end (for the need) to eat Free Nutrition. This is necessary for the Governor, the Regent to be involved. Don't let the budget be so large, it's not appropriate," he said.

For information, the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program, which is President Prabowo Subianto's campaign promise, officially started on Monday, January 6. However, its implementation is gradual in 26 provinces first.

The initial MBG program target is targeting 3 million people. Meanwhile, the target recipients of MBG are toddlers, sati, PAUD, TK, SD, SMP, and SMA, as well as pregnant and lactating women.