...the assistance program… is admitted by farmers to have contributed to maintaining the stability of selling prices of egg and chicken meat.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The first phase distribution of egg and chicken meat assistance for 1.4 million families at risk of stunting (KRS) has reached 69 percent as of May 18, 2023, the National Food Agency (Bapanas) has informed.

In Banten, as many as 51 thousand packages were provided to 79 percent of the total targeted KRS in the province, Bapanas Head Arief Prasetyo Adi said in a press release issued on Friday.

Furthermore, 338 thousand packages (82 percent) were disbursed in West Java, 308 thousand packages (95 percent) in Central Java, 252 thousand packages (67 percent) in East Java, as well as 46 thousand packages (33 percent) in North Sumatra, he added.

He said that Bapanas has also started the disbursement of assistance in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and West Sulawesi. However, he did not provide details regarding the progress of the aid distribution in the two provinces.

In addition to reducing the stunting rate, the attempt is aimed at controlling the prices of eggs and chicken meat, the Bapanas head informed.

“By involving small independent breeders to supply the meat and egg, the assistance program is admitted by farmers to have contributed to maintaining the stability of selling prices of egg and chicken meat," he said.

Bapanas has also encouraged state-run food holding ID FOOD to speed up the first phase of egg and meat aid distribution so that it can be completed soon and the agency can start the second and third distribution phases.

One of the efforts that will be carried out to expedite the distribution is facilitating the supply of egg and chicken meat stocks from production centers to regions that have limited stocks, Adi said.

"In addition, we have also asked ID FOOD to increase and improve partnerships with small independent breeders to maintain the stocks and accelerate distribution through (state-owned postal company) PT Pos Indonesia," he added.

On a separate occasion, President Director of ID FOOD Frans Marganda Tambunan said that the aid disbursement in NTT and West Sulawesi began in the third week of May 2023.

"We will pursue the realization of distribution in the seven provinces according to the number of KRS and the deadline set by the National Food Agency," he added.

He said that the food holding is regularly evaluating the progress of the distribution as well as maintaining collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of the assistance program.

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Translator: Kuntum Riswan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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