Launching The Distribution Of Rice Food Aid, Jokowi: To Maintain People's Purchasing Power

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government is rolling out rice assistance in the fulfillment of food, especially when facing fasting and ahead of Eid al-Fitr 2023.

This rice food assistance targets as many as 21.3 million beneficiary families (KPM).

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said this rice food aid aims to maintain people's purchasing power and control inflation.

This was conveyed when launching the distribution of Government Rice Reserves (CBP) for Food Assistance at Bulog Ngabean Sukoharjo Warehouse, Central Java, Monday, April 10.

"Today we are launching food assistance for the community, it will be distributed to regencies/cities in Solo Raya. Nationally, all those who are given food assistance are 21.3 million beneficiary families. And we hope that this assistance can also reduce rice prices," he said in an official statement, Monday, April 10.

On this occasion, President Jokowi, who was accompanied by the Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi, Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan, Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo, President Director of Bulog Budi Waseso, Regent Sukoharjo Etik Suryani, and Regent Boyolali Said Hidayat officially released the distribution of CBP for food assistance which was marked by inserting rice packages into logistics cars that were ready to transport aid.

Meanwhile, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said this rice assistance was one of the social cushion programs launched by the government in accordance with the President's direction.

Arief said, the distribution of this food aid had begun at the end of March 2023 and continues to this day.

"Alhamdulillah, until now it has been running smoothly and will continue to be rolled out for three months until May 2023," said Arief.

Arief ensured that this assistance would continue to be monitored for distribution and ensured that it was right on target.

"Distributed to the public according to the target and directly to the public by name by address," he explained.

For your information, the amount of rice assistance in the form of 10 kilograms (kg) of packaging is distributed to 21.353 million KPM based on data from the Ministry of Social Affairs with a total rice requirement estimated at 640,000 tons for three distributions until May 2023.

For the Java region, the distribution target reached 12.7 million KPM. Meanwhile, specifically for the Central Java region itself, the distribution of rice aid targets 2.35 million KPM with an estimated rice requirement of 70,000 tons. Meanwhile, the Solo Raya area reaches 565,420 KPM.