President Jokowi Calls Data On Food Aid Recipients Add 8 Percent

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) (Doc: State Secretariat)

MALANG - President Joko Widodo said there was an update on the increase in the number of beneficiaries for the allocation starting in early 2024 by 8 percent from the previous recipient data.

This was stated by the President during his working visit at Bulog's warehouse, Gadang District, Malang City, East Java, Thursday, December 14.

The President revealed that this data update adjusts the current conditions in the field so that the family entitled to receive this assistance evenly.

"This assistance is an effort by the government to strengthen people's purchasing power. That is because a number of demand prices have increased, especially rice caused by the shrinking production of rice due to the El Nino disaster that has hit the whole world," said President Jokowi.

He also said that this program continues and data improvements are routinely carried out.

"This assistance program will be continued next year by continuing to update recipient data and for next year there will be an addition of around 8 percent of current recipients so that those affected are not too burdened by the existing price increases," he explained.

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi added that food aid recipients starting January 2024 will increase to 22 million recipient families. Previously, the number of recipients was 21.3 million recipient families.

"We received data from the families of the recipients of this assistance from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, whose number has experienced data updates because it adjusts to real conditions in the field," said Arief, who accompanied President Jokowi in Malang.

Meanwhile, Director of Human Capital Perum Bulog Purnomo Sinar Hadi explained that Bulog as the operator fully supports government programs such as this food aid, which aims to improve the welfare of this community and prepare the needed rice stock as best as possible.

"We will adjust with new recipient data for next year in accordance with the latest updates from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture through the National Food Agency. Furthermore, we also ensure that the rice stocks available in Bulog warehouses throughout Indonesia are in very safe quantities," said Purnomo.

Bulog currently has 1.4 million tons of government rice reserves. In addition, there are additional rice import stocks according to the assignment given to Bulog to increase the strength of government rice reserves.