MAKASSAR - The central government has prepared a budget of more than IDR 8 trillion to anticipate food shortages due to drought due to El Nino's influence which is predicted to occur at its peak in August-September 2023.
"Therefore, the government from October to December will disburse Rp8 trillion in aid to the public to control prices," said Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan after attending the Asean Architect Conference in Makassar, South Sulawesi, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 27.
In order to anticipate the impact of drought caused by El Nino's influence, the government is ready. In addition, concerns about the lack of food are certainly one of the reasons for the budget to be prepared.
"For the prices of basic goods, we are worried because our river has dried up. I have promised to buy 1 million tons of rice, but we can't. Indeed, we have to prepare properly, but in our country, Alhamdulillah, prices are still stable apart from chickens and eggs," he said.
However, there are several food commodities that cannot be imported at this time, such as wheat and soybeans, because all of these foodstuffs must be purchased from abroad.
"What we can't buy, such as rice, corn, salt, we don't import, except industry. But for consumption, we don't buy it. Regarding the price of chickens going up, it's just a matter of time, if the feed goes up, we will subsidize the corn," he said. the former chairman of the MPR RI emphasized.
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Previously, Deputy Chairperson of the MPR Lestari Moerdijat asked that steps to deal with the impact of extreme weather due to the El Nino phenomenon be optimized, namely by seeking anticipatory and adaptive steps.
Lestari said that it is necessary to provide the necessary policies to ensure food, health and economic security.
"We must optimize all the potential we have to be able to answer various threats related to the impact of climate change and the long dry season which is expected to hit Indonesia," he said.
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