Sudaryono Says MBG Creates a Large Market, Eggs and Chicken Supplies are Prepared Outside Java

Sudaryono Head of BGN. (Teddy VOI)

JAKARTA - The Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Sudaryono, said the Free Nutritious Meal program created a large-scale food market. This need must be balanced with increased production so that the supply of eggs, chickens, milk, and agricultural commodities does not experience shortages.

Before being inaugurated as Head of BGN, Sudaryono said the Ministry of Agriculture had anticipated a surge in consumption from the MBG program, especially outside Java Island.

"MBG is like Pac-Man. He has a fairly large consumption," said Sudaryono at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (22/7).

One of the steps prepared is to invest in the livestock sector to close the potential deficit of eggs and chicken meat. The plan involves Danantara Indonesia and the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health of the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to Sudaryono, the relationship between BGN and the Ministry of Agriculture has been running since the beginning of the implementation of MBG. Coordination is needed because the sustainability of the program depends on the ability to produce food in various regions.

He assessed that the increased demand from the MBG kitchen also provided a new market for farmers and livestock farmers.

Sudaryono alluded to the incident when farmers threw carrots or farmers threw milk because the production results were not absorbed by the market. According to Sudaryono, such incidents have not been seen so far after food needs have increased.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and farmers are happy people. In the past, we often saw milk baths, people throwing carrots. So far, this has not happened," he said.

Sudaryono said that the problems that arise in the supply chain will be handled together with related ministries and institutions. The government's focus, he said, is to find solutions so that the needs of the MBG program can be met and the results of farmers' production are absorbed.