President Jokowi Inspects Bulog Warehouse in S. Sulawesi

President Jokowi Thursday (03/30) inspects Bulog Batangase Warehouse in Maros regency, South Sulawesi province. (Photo by: PR/Rahmat)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Thursday (03/30) visited Bulog Batangase Warehouse located in Mandai district in Maros regency to check the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Bulog)’s absorption of farmers’ crops in South Sulawesi province.

The province is one of the national rice producers.

“I am visiting the Bulog warehouse in Maros regency, South Sulawesi province, to monitor the absorption of Bulog this year,” the President said, adding that the Bulog’s absorption is facing a sharp decline this year.

The President added that one of the reasons for the decline is the province’s harvest yields that was sent to other provinces.

“Usually, in March, [the Bulog can absorb to] up to 40,000, 50,000 [tons]. In the same month this year, it only absorbed 6,000 tons. We observed the reason on the ground. It turned out that the rice in South Sulawesi province was sent to other provinces. Usually, the total [sent to other provinces] is not as many as that of this year,” he said.

To that end, the President said he had ordered relevant institutions to check the distribution line and ensure sufficient supply of rice throughout Indonesia, adding that Bulog can still manage to absorb more as the province’s great harvest season has not ended yet.

“Several regencies in the province are still in the great harvest season such as those in Maros and Sidenreng Rappang regencies. We must be prepared for anything, not only in South Sulawesi province but also in other provinces,” he stated.

The President added that three months earlier, he ordered Bulog to absorb the farmers’ harvest yields of 2.4 million tons.

“Yesterday, I observed that in this great harvest season the price in a market in Maros dropped to Rp10,500. I think this is good news when [the prices] in other regions are still high,” he remarked. (RSF/UN) (FI/RAS/EP)