Badanas Asks Bulog And Business Actors To Strengthen Synergy To Increase Rice Absorption

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The National Food Agency (Bapanas) asked Perum Bulog and rice milling business actors to strengthen synergies to increase rice absorption during the main harvest season.

"By cooperating with small and medium rice mills, in addition to getting rice absorption to increase the government's rice reserves (CBP), Bulog also supports the sustainability of the rice milling business," said Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Friday, March 10.

Arief ensured that the cooperation between Bulog and rice milling would be mutually beneficial. Bulog is ready to absorb the main harvest which lasts until May in large quantities through the assignment of absorption of 2.19 million tons with a target of fulfilling 70 percent of CBP.

"We have assigned Bulog to increase absorption at this big harvest. We also protect cooperation and transactions with Bulog to make it mutually beneficial. If rice milling has quality rice and the price fits Bulog is ready to be absorbed immediately, cash and carry," he said.

In addition, this Food SOE has also prepared a number of procurement plans that allow absorption with various schemes, including a CBP scheme, flexibility, or through a commercial scheme.

Arief explained that currently Bulog has also built Modern Rice Milling Plant (MRMP) in 13 locations to increase the potential for absorption of grain which is expected to boost the Bulog absorption rate this year.

"Mr. President emphasized that all parties must work together to keep rice prices stable, because this rice is one of the commodities that contributes to inflation," he explained.

In addition, the government is also calculating the latest Government Purchase Price (HPP) based on proposals from national food stakeholders and adjusted to the development of the economic price of grain and rice.

With the latest HPP, it is hoped that Bulog will have a good price to absorb so that it will contribute to maintaining the balance of grain prices at the farmer, trader and consumer levels.