They must prioritize the domestic needs in rice, cooking oil, and others
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin visited state-owned logistics firm Bulog’s office in Jakarta on Friday to review the availability of rice supplies ahead of the Ramadan month and Eid al-Fitr.

“Today, I visited Bulog to seek information regarding the availability of rice supply,” Amin remarked.

Earlier, the vice president had visited the Ministry of Agriculture to monitor food stocks.

The government is optimistic of sufficient supplies of food, including of rice, especially ahead of the Ramadan month and Eid al-Fitr, Amin noted.

"Bulog reports that there are sufficient stocks of rice. They also manage to improve the quality of rice to avoid bad quality of the commodity from reaching consumers," he explained.

The vice president emphasized that with the sufficient supply of rice and food from the agricultural sector, entrepreneurs were expected to stop exporting, as long as the domestic requirements had not been met.

"They must prioritize the domestic needs in rice, cooking oil, and others," Amin remarked.

The vice president is also optimistic that related stakeholders would make efforts to ensure smooth distribution and ensure price stability in the short term, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr.

"The law must also be enforced against speculators, who hoard commodities, thereby resulting in a scarcity of staple goods in the community," Amin emphasized.

On the occasion, President Director of Bulog Budi Waseso remarked that the current supply of rice was sufficient, with Bulog already mapping out areas for harvesting.

Waseso stated that his side remained committed to prioritizing domestic needs.

"We always forge cooperation with the head of the National Food Agency, minister of agriculture, minister of trade, and minister of industry," he explained.

Waseso also urged the public to not harbor concerns over the availability of rice at low prices.

Head of the National Food Agency, Arief Prasetyo Adi, spoke of his side continuing to cooperate with all stakeholders, including the private sector and associations.

"The National Food Agency is ready to face the Ramadan month and Eid al-Fitr. We are working with all stakeholders, including the private sector and associations. I also received information saying that we also have sufficient supply for red meat. Cows are ready to be sent from East Java to Jakarta and Bandung," he explained.

Furthermore, Adi spoke of his side working towards the procurement of cooking oil. He is currently overseeing the cooking oil regulation from the Trade Ministry that had just raised the domestic market obligation (DMO) by 30 percent.

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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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