For example, if there is a surplus in East Java province, please send it to the region which is lacking.Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked local government officials to anticipate the threat of food disruption by maintaining the supply and prices of food commodities in their respective regions.
One of the steps that can be taken is collaboration among governors for the supply of food commodities and stocks to one another, he suggested.
He made the remarks at the opening of the 2023 National Working Meeting of the Association of Indonesian Provincial Governments (APPSI) in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Thursday.
"For example, if there is a surplus in East Java province, please send it to the region which is lacking. Please maintain the stock and price of food commodities," he said.
He also emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant in monitoring the food supply in Indonesia, even though currently, it seems relatively normal on the surface.
"Our rice production is closely monitored and maintained, especially regarding the volume of rice that we produce. We will make sure that the rice stock is sufficient for each area," he assured.
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The head of state said that during his working visit to regions, he always makes time to visit local markets to monitor the price and availability of food commodities.
Food commodities are often the biggest contributors to increasing inflation in Indonesia, he noted.
"If the goods are available, please make sure of the price stability because it will affect our inflation rate. Our inflation last month was almost 50 percent due to the increase in rice prices," he said.
Widodo also asked APPSI members regarding efforts to maintain food availability that need to be carried out seriously.
"We want us to have the same sense regarding food matters. Please maintain and control the food commodities’ availability to avoid scarcity," he added.
He said that disruptions in the food supply are also taking place at the global level. On account of this, the Indonesian government is facing problems in finding sources of rice imports to augment national reserves.
"We wanted to import 500 thousand tons yesterday, we were looking for countries where stocks usually accumulate, but they do not want to send it to us. They also want to be careful because they know there will be an El Nino this year. This is what we all have to understand, we must be careful," he stressed.
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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Resinta S
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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