REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Director of Perum Bulog, Bayu Krisnamurthi, said that as an extension of the government's hand, it is currently absorbing 30 thousand tons of dry grain of (GKP) per day at the farmer level for domestic rice procurement.

“Currently, with our various efforts, Bulog can absorb up to 30 thousand tons of GKP (dry harvested grain) equivalent every day,” Bayu said in a statement in Jakarta, Thursday (2/4/2024).

Bayu said he took advantage of the ongoing rice harvest momentum in some areas of the country to maximize absorption in order to ensure the availability of government rice reserves (CBP).

“Bulog as an extension of the government's hand is moving quickly to absorb as much grain and rice. This is done in order to improve food security through the fulfillment of national rice stocks sourced from domestic production,” Bayu said.

He reiterated that it is committed to carrying out optimal absorption of domestic grain and rice in this harvest period. For him, the fulfillment of the government's food reserves (CPP) through the absorption of grain and rice from the country during the harvest period is a priority of the current government.

“Year-on-year in April yesterday, the absorption of grain/rice in our country was higher over the last 3 years, namely 468 thousand tons of dry grain equivalent harvested (GKP),” Bayu said.

He mentioned that the absorption of GKP at the level of farmers is currently increasing, when compared to the previous average only reached below 20 thousand tons. Bulog is committed to optimal grain absorption.

“In the future, the uptake we do will continue to increase optimally,” Bayu stressed.

Director of Pasok Chain and Public Services Perum Bulog Suyamoto added a strategy in carrying out grain absorption from farmers that he carried out the Grain Pick Program in each working area of surplus production as an effort to accelerate the process of absorption of produce.

“In addition, we also continue to coordinate and synergize with farmer groups, milling units and procurement partners. This is of course what we are doing to achieve maximum uptake at the momentum of this harvest,” Suyamoto added.

Furthermore, Suyamoto confirmed that Bulog as a government food company in charge of absorbing and managing the national food stocks is actively working by descending directly to the harvest site.

Suyamoto also stressed that Bulog always works in synergy with the mining companies to absorb the products of domestic grain and rice production.

Meanwhile, the head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi confirmed that his agency is constantly monitoring Bulog's performance in the area related to the progress of absorption of grain and rice crops in the country.

Arief stressed that the absorption carried out by Bulog is an effort to replenish national food stocks in the present and future.

According to him, the momentum of the high harvest should be maintained because in the first half it accounted for up to 70 percent of the total national production, mainly in rice centers such as Central Java, West Java and East Java.

“It is also the attention of President Jokowi that the government's use of rice reserves uses domestic production and minimizes imports wherever possible,” Arief said.

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