Bulog Medium Rice Already Available In Alfamart And Indomaret, But Notrata

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The medium rice issued by Perum Bulog has been distributed to modern retailers, including Alfamart and Indomaret. However, not all regions in Indonesia get Bulog rice supplies. This is due to distance and logistical factors.

Aprindo Chairman Roy Nicholas Mandey said Bulog's market operations had entered modern retail such as Superindo, Indogrosir, Ramayana, Hypermart. Most recently to Alfamart and Indomaret.

Roy said that Bulog's market operations were only available at modern retailers in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi (Jabodetabek) areas.

"Is it already there? It's done. But it's not evenly distributed. Like in Hypermart, Indomaret, Alfamart in big cities Jabodetabek, then West Java," he said in Jakarta, Thursday, February 23.

Roy admitted that his party had ordered or pre-order (PO) from Bulog.

However, said Roy, the process of distributing Bulog rice to modern retail takes time.

The reason, continued Roy, Bulog has limitations, starting from packaging machines and workforce so it takes more time.

"Because we receive it every 5kg, we don't accept it in the form of sacks, we don't have any packaging, right. So they (Bulog) are to produce from imported rice from Thai sacks to (packages) 5 kg, there are limitations, machinery, power and time needs," he explained.

"So they are working continuously, maximally. So this is not easy, but it should be decomposable, it can still be decomposed," he continued.

Roy said he had also coordinated with the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to prioritize Aprindo members whose stock was empty to be supplied first.

"We have coordinated with Kelapa Bapanas (National Food Agency) where Aprindo has empty members so that they can be prioritized to be supplied," he said.

As previously reported, Perum Bulog will market Bulog rice through modern retail by collaborating with modern retail networks in Indonesia. These include Alfamart, to Indomaret.

Bulog Director Budi Waseso said this step was part of Bulog's efforts to streamline the Food Supply and Price Stabilization program (SPHP) or known for market operations throughout Indonesia.

Alfamart, Indomaret, Indogrosir will attend. I have contacted all retail leaders because of that all private roles support market operations. It is extraordinary that I thank the retail leadership including Indogrosir," he said at a press conference, at the Bulog Headquarters, Kuningan, South Jakarta, Thursday, February 2.

Furthermore, Buwas, Budi Waseso's nickname, said that Bulog is in a position ready to pour rice into modern retailers.

The rice to be sent, said Buwas, will be adjusted to requests from modern retailers.

"As much as the retail capability accommodates, if you dare 1,000 tons (5 kg of packaging), I will give 1,000 tons," he said.