Speaking at Wonokromo Market in Surabaya, Ramdhani explained that Bulog is coordinating closely with the Agriculture Ministry to safeguard national food production.
“The solution, among other things, is for the Agriculture Ministry to add pumping stations and provide additional agricultural machinery, so that production levels will hopefully not decline and could even potentially increase,” he said.
He noted that El Niño’s timing may not be entirely negative, as it coincides with peak rice harvests in several regions.
Bulog has already absorbed more than 35 percent of the government’s rice procurement target of 4 million tons, Ramdhani said, adding that this is part of a broader mitigation strategy to secure reserves against prolonged drought.
Current rice stocks have reached 4.4 million tons, the highest level in Indonesia’s history, he claimed.
“This is the highest stock. Last year’s peak was 4.2 million tons, and now it has surpassed that,” he said.
Ramdhani expressed optimism that stocks could reach around 5 million tons by late April or early May, in line with ongoing harvests across the country.
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Translator: Indra Setiawan, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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