Bulog Promises Not To Import Rice And Will Absorb 1.5 Million Tons Of Rice From Farmers

President Director of Bulog Budi Waseso. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Public Company Logistics Affairs Agency (Perum Bulog) said that the remaining stock of government rice reserves or CBP until May 17 reached 1,395,376 tons. This amount is still sufficient for the needs of the community and also in an emergency. Bulog also promised not to import because it would absorb local farmers' rice.

Director of Perum Bulog, Budi Waseso, said that 17,329 tonnes of rice for consumption remained. Meanwhile, the distribution for the period from January to May 17 was 1.85,429 tons. For Supply Availability and Price Stabilization (KPSH) of 152,497 tons, emergency response of 2,431 tons and budget of 30,501 tons.

Meanwhile, Buwas, as he is usually called, said that the realization of the domestic procurement of unhulled rice or rice was 670,916 tons by utilizing the main harvest that almost occurs in all parts of Indonesia. Bulog will also optimize domestic absorption to maintain CBP stocks of 1 to 1.5 million tons.

Promise not to import

Buwas promised not to import rice this year. This is because Bulog will absorb the farmers' harvest yields for government rice reserves or CBP of up to 1.5 million tons.

"So we can guarantee that until the end of this year, especially Bulog will not import rice from abroad because the need for CBP has been met. This is what we need to convey," he said at the Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission IV of the DPR, Tuesday, May 18. .

Bulog is very committed to maintaining national food security, including keeping farmers' harvest prices high. Buwas said that the absorption of farmers' crops would be continued until June. Moreover, considering that in the near future there will be a harvest in several regions.

In addition, Buwas also requested assistance from the government and the DPR to be able to support food security programs that have been prepared.

"We really need support from the members of the House of Representatives (DPR) RI, especially in terms of maintaining the CBP of the government which is integrated upstream to downstream, in order to realize food sovereignty in Indonesia," he explained.

Not only rice stocks, Buwas also guarantees several other food commodities in safe conditions. Other foodstuffs in stock are 1,030 tons of buffalo meat, 25 tons of beef and 438 tons of wheat flour. The total stock of sugar is 12,183 tons and the stock cooking oil is 348 kilo liters.