To this end, collaborating with Perpadi is indispensable, as rice millers are projected to have a total rice stock inventory of some 1.4 million tons, he stated at the most recent meeting of the Perpadi-East Java Chapter.
The total rice stock inventory that rice millers currently have is equivalent to 22.1 percent of Indonesia's national rice stocks, Adi noted in NFA's press statement that ANTARA received here, Thursday.
According to the agency's statement, the association held its meeting in Kota Batu, some 15 km away from the west of Malang City.
Speaking at the meeting's opening session, Adi said national rice stocks were currently recorded at 6.7 million tons, out of which some 1.4 tons are owned by rice millers.
Through sound collaboration with Perpadi, the rice millers' stocks could significantly assist efforts to increase the government's rice reserve stocks that the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) managed, he explained.
Currently, the national availability of rice stocks was recorded at 6.7 million tons, out of which some 3.3 million tons are held by households, or equivalent to 50.5 percent of the total availability, he stated.
Out of the remaining 3.4 million tons, 1.4 million tons, or 22.1 percent, are held by rice millers; 800 thousand tons, or 11.9 percent, by traders; 651 thousand tons, or 9.9 percent, by Bulog; 333 thousand tons, or five percent, by hotels, restaurants, and cafes; as well as some 37 thousand tons, or 0.6 percent, by the Cipinang Wholesale Market, he noted.
Since the national demand for rice on average is recorded at 2.5 million tons per month, the current national availability of rice stocks remains secure until the end of this year, Adi remarked.
The harvest of rice crops in November and December 2022 was forecast to boost additional rice stocks of three million tons.
As a result, the national availability of rice stocks could reach 4.7 million tons by the end of 2022, he noted while adding that rice stocks would become part of next year's stocks.
"Now, our common homework is how to move the stocks of rice that will be harvested from rice mills to Bulog. In fact, Bulog needs to top up its rice stocks to 1.2 million tons," he noted.
The NFA has set a target of increasing the government's rice reserve stocks up to 1.2 million tons until the end of this year, as it has been mandated at a meeting with the coordinating minister for economic affairs to maintain food security, Adi stated.
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Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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