The main purpose of this activity is to fulfill the demand for sugar in the people's markets during Ramadhan and Idul Fitri, so that there is no concern in the community
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) will supply 22,000 tons of sugar imported from India to ensure the availability of the commodity in the market ahead of Idul Fitri.



Bulog president director Budi Waseso said the agency recently imported 22,000 tons of white crystal sugar from India and would soon supply it to traditional markets to meet the demand for sugar, especially ahead of Idul Fitri.



"The main purpose of this activity is to fulfill the demand for sugar in the people's markets during Ramadhan and Idul Fitri, so that there is no concern in the community," Budi Waseso said on Thursday in Jakarta.



Waseso explained that the sugar import was only part of the total import permit of 50,000 tons granted to Bulog. The agency has been tasked with importing granulated sugar by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs to stabilize the price of the commodity.



Based on data from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPS), the average national sugar price as of Thursday (May 14, 2020) is pegged at Rp17,500 per kilogram. This price is higher than the reference price of consumer level, which is Rp12,500 per kilogram.



Therefore, intervention from the government through sugar imports was found to be necessary. With the controlled stock, the price of sugar is expected to go back to the highest retail price (HET) of Rp12,500 per kilogram.



Other food stocks, namely rice, managed in the entire work area of the State Logistics Agency, have now reached 1.4 million tons.



Bulog is also continuing to procure domestic rice from farmers in the current harvest season. As of mid-May, the realization of farmers' rice uptake has reached 290,000 tons.



"We are optimistic that our business core will not be interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are always ready to carry out the task of the state to meet the basic needs of the community and absorption of domestic rice during the main harvest," the Bulog head said. (INE)

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Translator: Mentari Dwi, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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