Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government has made assurance of food stocks sufficing until the subsequent three to four months, Head of the Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling Doni Monardo stated.

"The agriculture minister has conveyed that food stocks will remain adequate for the next three to four months. Alhamdulillah (Thank God), it is safe," Monardo informed the press after a virtual meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) here on Monday.

Furthermore, he pointed to the prices of some food commodities still being under control.

"Though the cost of basic necessities had earlier spiked, the prices of some of them have been under control now," he remarked.

At the meeting, President Jokowi has reiterated the criticality of taking requisite steps as a precautionary measure against a likely global food crisis as cited by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as an upshot of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The head of state has instructed Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo to boost national food resilience and reduce dependence on imports.

"Some countries that had earlier fulfilled our food import demand might perhaps not be able to meet the requirement in future," Monardo cautioned.

The novel coronavirus disease has swept across 210 countries and territories globally, thereby leaving nations with no choice but to impose restrictions on movement to cut the chain of COVID-19 transmission.

At the opening of the meeting, President Jokowi had ordered Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to remind all regional leaders to ensure the availability of basic necessities.

All regional leaders must make necessary computations over the demand of food until a certain period of time, so that food shortages and drastic price hikes can be circumvented.

"Perhaps, we will have a good harvest season. We should pay close attention to the harvesting period during August and September to ensure that the food supply chain as well as its distribution will not be hindered," the president stated. Related news: President urges ministers to protect availability of food
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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