Anies Baswedan Makes A Breakthrough, Putting BUMDs Into Standby Buyers For Ngawi Farmers' Grain, East Java

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria (Photo: DKI Pemprov Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan made a breakthrough by placing the Regional Owned Enterprise (BUMD), PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya as a standby buyer of grain farmers in Ngawi, East Java.

"Alhamdulillah, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government through the Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya is collaborating to expand the coverage of unhulled rice for rice supply in Jakarta," said Anies quoted by VOI from the Facebook page @Anies Baswedan, Monday, April 26.

The Warehouse Receipt System cooperation agreement between the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and the Ngawi Regency Government represented by the Regent of Ngawi Ony Anwar and witnessed directly by the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa and the ranks of the Food Station, Daya Tani Sembada and Sido Rukun Farmer Group at Geneng Village Hall, Alas Pecah Hamlet, Geneng District, Ngawi Regency.

According to Anies, when the dry grain is harvested, the harvest is very low. With the warehouse receipt system collaboration, the Food Station as the manager will help become a standby buyer at a good price.

"So that farmers do not have to bother looking for buyers. And farmers do not need to rush to sell their unhulled rice at a low price, but can store it first, improve the quality so that the price will also be stable," said Anies.

Besides that, by saving it in the warehouse receipt the farmer can also use it as collateral to take a loan from a financial institution to finance the next planting season. With the warehouse receipt system, we can store an average of 600 tons, the target for 2021 is 1,000 tons.

"On behalf of the citizens of Jakarta, we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for this good cooperation," explained Anies.

There are several purposes for this collaboration. First, continued Anies, food needs in Jakarta are well fulfilled. Second, farmers have a work system that allows them to improve their welfare. Thus, our farmers do not continue to be the last to enjoy added value from rice production activities.

"Jakarta has a very high dependence on agricultural products from outside Jakarta and we don't want to just accept the rice but don't think about the welfare of the farmers," said Anies.

This inter-regional cooperation is part of the constitutional mandate to bring social justice to all Indonesians. Jakarta, as the city with the largest contribution to the economy, provides benefits to other regions, especially improving the welfare of farmers.