Jokowi To Call Again The Head Of Food Agency To The Palace, To Discuss What?

Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi (yellow jacket). (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) again summoned the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) or NFA Arief Prasetyo Adi to the State Palace in Jakarta, Monday, February 6.

This summons is not the first time, previously Arief was also summoned at the end of last January.

Then, what was discussed in the meeting?

Arief said that during the meeting President Jokowi discussed the role of food state-owned enterprises (BUMN) in helping to provide stocks to keep prices stable.

"Today what is being discussed is the integration of SOEs in the food sector. So how do we all prepare off-takers," said Arief as quoted from Instagram @badanpangannasional, Monday.

On that occasion, said Arief, President Jokowi said that the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) would focus on production, then BUMNs would be assigned to become off-takers.

"So there will be no more falling prices at the upstream production level, all that's left is to be integrated to prepare all of that," he explained.

Arief said, to increase absorption at the food BUMN level, funding is of course needed.

Arief said that President Jokowi would discuss this matter with Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani.

"Later this will be discussed by the President, the Minister of SOEs, and also the Ministry of Finance," he said.

For example, said Arief, referring to Presidential Decree 66/2021 the Minister of BUMN authorized the National Food Agency to give assignments to Perum Bulog, regarding corn and soybeans. This assignment, continued Arief, requires funds.

“The point is given the budget, so there are two budgets. The first is the state budget, the other is low-cost funding from Himbara. Of course, this is a scheme if the Minister of Finance calls it, cheap funds. This means there is a low rate. So this needs to be synchronized with Himbara Bank and the Minister of Finance," he said

Then, continued Arief, the meeting also discussed infrastructure readiness. Arief said, Jokowi had compared it with infrastructure abroad.

"He said that overseas storage equipment such as large cold rooms have been prepared. So later for products that can indeed be extended their save life in frozen or cold conditions can be used," he explained.