He made the statement after carrying out an inspection at a Bulog warehouse in Kelapa Gading, Jakarta, on Friday to check the availability of rice there.
According to Fatika, Bulog has sufficient rice stocks, however, the logistics and distribution processes involved in taking rice from warehouses to consumers are still relatively slow.
"The problem is that Bulog needs speed in the loading and unloading process," he told reporters.
"That way, rice can be available more quickly to serve the community," he added.
Fatika noted that distributing two thousand tons of Bulog rice to markets currently takes three to four days. This is feared to cause delays in the distribution of rice to the community.
Therefore, he said, Bulog must make improvements to its logistics system, including its goods loading and unloading processes. This is expected to expedite the availability of rice in markets.
By accelerating the logistics process, it is hoped that rice prices can be stabilized and community demand can be met.
On Friday, the Indonesian Ombudsman also carried out an inspection at Cipinang Central Market, Jakarta, to check rice stocks as well as the effectiveness of the government's efforts to stabilize rice prices.
So far, the results show that the rice supply in the market is safe. Traders are also adhering to the government policy regarding the relaxation of the retail price ceiling (HET) for premium-quality rice, which came into effect on March 10, 2024.
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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
