BULOG Proposes To Import 200 Thousand Tons Of Sugar For The Sake Of Price Stabilization

Sugar illustration. (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Perum Bulog has proposed to the government to assign this state-owned food company to import 200 thousand tons of white crystal sugar to stabilize the current soaring price of sugar.

Based on data from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPS), the national average price of granulated sugar as of Wednesday has reached IDR 14,600 per kilogram or much higher than the reference price at the consumer level of IDR 12,500 per kg.

"Sugar cane harvest is after Lebaran. We have suggested that we be assigned to import sugar. We submitted 200 thousand tons. That is for consumption sugar, not raw sugar," said Director of Operations and Public Service of Perum Bulog Tri Wahyudi Saleh at the Bulog Jakarta Head Office. , Wednesday February 19.

Tri explained that the assignment to import sugar is due to seeing the increasing price of sugar at the consumer level. In addition, the need for sugar consumption before Ramadan and Eid must also be met.

On the other hand, the new sugarcane harvest will take place in April-May 2020. At the same time, the moments of Fasting and Lebaran fall in the same month, so that consumers' needs for sugar must be anticipated through imports.

The proposal for the sugar import assignment has also been submitted in a limited coordination meeting held at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy on Monday 17 February. "Many parties have asked that Bulog should have stock. We told the coordination meeting that we need to stabilize prices," said Tri.

He hopes that the government will immediately decide on this sugar import assignment, considering Ramadan and Eid which will take place in the next two months.

Previously, the Director General of Plantation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Kasdi Subagyono, explained that the need for white crystal sugar consumption in Indonesia reaches 2.8 million tons. Meanwhile, Indonesia is only able to produce 2.2 million-2.3 million tons.

This means that there is a shortage of needs around 500 thousand-600 thousand tons. However, the realization of sugar imports that have been agreed by the government is 495 thousand tons.