"In accordance with the government's mandate, we currently have a stock of approximately 1.1 million tons of rice," Head of the Commodity Procurement Division of Bulog Budi Cahyanto said during a webinar monitored in Jakarta, Friday.
The sufficient rice stock was also in accordance with the provisions of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the recommendation of the minister of agriculture regulations, and recommendations from analysts, stating that with a population of approximately 260 million people in Indonesia, the country must at least have a stock of between one and 1.5 million tons.
Cahyanto noted that this achievement was based on the efforts of the government and farmers to maintain sufficient rice stocks.
"Right now, we are striving to regulate and distribute rice throughout Indonesia. We do not need to worry regarding our stock. We actually have the opportunity to export rice," he added.
However, Bulog will prioritize domestic rice that is specifically found in Indonesia, such as the Pandan Wangi and Rojolele variants.
Rice export would become Bulog's challenge in the future to open export opportunities to other countries in need, Cahyanto stated.
Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in his state address at the 2022 annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) said that Indonesia had not imported rice for consumption since the last three years.
The construction of dams and irrigation systems has supported the increase in national rice productivity.
Indonesia also recently bagged an award from the International Rice Research Institute for its capability in achieving a system for food security and rice self-sufficiency since 2019.
Related news: Food prices now relatively stable: Minister Hartarto
Related news: Indonesia's rice self-sufficiency gift for Independence Day: IPB
Translator: Aji Cakti, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
