REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Director of State-Owned Logistics Agency (Bulog) Budi Waseso "Buwas" denied the allegation that the domestic rice absorption by Bulog was only around 800 thousand tons. He explained that Bulog has so far absorbed 1.4 million tons of domestic rice, or 52.2 percent of the target of 2.72 million tons until the end of 2018.

"Therefore, do not say that my data is wrong. Now, the absorption of rice is 1.4 million instead of 800 thousand tons. So do not make up if you do not know. It is disruptive," Buwas stated in a discussion on food security at Menara Kadin, Jakarta, on Monday.

He further stressed that the state currently does not have a rice balance sheet, which presents data on the production and consumption needs of rice in Indonesia. Therefore, he expressed hope that all stakeholders, namely the Ministry of Agriculture, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), can coordinate and eliminate sectoral egos for completing agricultural data.

"There is data from the National Logistics Agency. But we have to put together data from BPS, in order to have a definite rice balance record," Buwas remarked.

Bulog also stated that the stock of rice reserves in the warehouse currently reached 2.4 million tons. This amount is considered sufficient to meet food needs for the 2019 Political Year. Therefore, Indonesia does not need to import rice.

This amount does not include imported rice, which will reach 400 thousand tons in October. Therefore, the total stock will be 2.8 million tons, or 2.7 million tons, if reduced by the needs of 100 thousand tons of Prosperous Rice (Rastra).

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika