Government Claims Extension Of Food Aid For 22 Million KPM Not Related To Politics

Illustration of rice (ANTARA)

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi, said that the plan to extend food assistance to 22 million beneficiary families (KPM) until June 2024 was not related to politics.

Arief said this during a visit to Bogor City, Monday, November 21. He said, as long as the extension of the provision of food assistance was due to the postponement of the harvest period.

"This has nothing to do with politics because from yesterday we have loved and in the future we will continue to love it. Until we really have a good harvest," said Arief in his statement, Tuesday, November 21.

The government through Bapanas and Perum Bulog will extend the distribution of the rice food aid until June 2024.

The extension of rice food assistance until June 2024 has gone through deep government considerations. We make sure the distribution to the community is always right on target," he said.

Arief emphasized that even though it has entered the political year, this food aid has absolutely no political content.

"And there is no political content, considering that it has entered the political year as it is today. The community and all elements can monitor together," said Arief.

Arief added, in the last 2 years the highest peak of monthly rice production has occurred in March and April. But now, he said, there will be setbacks and it is likely to shift 1 or 2 months later.

Citing data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), rice production in March in 2022 was recorded at 5.49 million tons and April 2022 reached 4.45 million tons.

The same trend also occurred in 2023, where in March 2023 rice production reached 5.13 million tons and in April 2023 it was recorded at 3.66 million tons.

"Of course, NFA and Perum Bulog will anticipate the shift in the harvest season next year if it doesn't happen in March and April. We are committed to absorbing domestic rice production to continue to strengthen CBP stock," said Arief.

Even so, Arief said that this big harvest shift was a challenge due to the need for Government Rice Reserve (CBP) stock for rice food assistance for 6 months in 2024 with an estimated total of 1,320,244 tons.

Therefore, he said that the distribution of rice food assistance acts as an element of suppressing rice prices at the consumer level and maintaining national inflation.

Although CBP sources include originating from foreign procurement, he stressed that prices at the farmer level will not be so affected.

"It can be seen, during the two stages of distributing rice food aid this year, inflation can be maintained, especially rice inflation. Likewise, rice prices in consumers can be reduced so as not to become more volatile," concluded Arief.