"FDP is the fastest method that we can do. Stocks of feed corn are needed to meet the availability of other commodities, such as eggs and chicken meat. (This is) especially since eggs are an animal protein that is affordable and easy to access. We have to pay attention to the farmers," head of Bapanas Arief Prasetyo Adi noted in a statement on Thursday.
Apart from the FDP method, Adi also reminded corn central areas to optimize absorption of the produced corn while waiting for the corn import process.
Until the first week of October 2023, Bapanas confirmed to have distributed several commodities through the FDP scheme amounting to 1.47 million kilograms, with corn commodity dominating the realization, with 1.14 million kilograms, or 77.35 percent of the total commodities.
Adi remarked that his side is working to increase production and price stability of feed corn due to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) that showed a decrease of 0.28 million hectares, or 10.03 percent, as compared to the previous year's corn harvest area.
Meanwhile, the Bapanas Food Price Panel, as of October 18, shows the average price of dry-shelled corn at the farm level of Rp5,510 per kilogram, which is above the Government Reference Price (HAP) of Rp3,970 per kilogram.
At the consumer level, the average price of dry-shelled corn is Rp7,282 per kg, above the HAP of Rp5,000 per kg.
"To help small farmers, who currently need an adequate supply of feed corn, the government will import 500 thousand tons of corn for price stability at the farmer level," Adi remarked.
On the same occasion, Chairman of the Presidium of the Indonesians Poultry People (Pinsar) of National Laying Chickens (PPN) Yudianto Yosgiarso stated that the corn issue has become an urgency at the breeder's level since it is the main feed for laying chickens.
He then lauded the government's effort to import feed corn as a form of the government's attention in helping breeders.
"We are ready to help collect data on breeders for optimal absorption of corn assistance. There are many breeders out there who are committed to absorbing the feed corn," he stated.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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