Bulog CEO Ensures Rice Quality in Papua is Safe and Maintained for Residents
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Perum Bulog President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani has affirmed the agency’s commitment to providing the best service by distributing high-quality rice to meet the food needs of the entire Papuan community.
“There is no need for hesitation or doubt; the stock we provide to the community is definitely in good, healthy, hygienic, and beneficial condition,” Rizal said when met in Jayapura City, Papua, on Monday.
He made this statement after conducting quality tests on incoming rice stocks at the Bulog warehouse in the Argapura Warehousing Complex, Jayapura. While at the warehouse, Rizal instructed his local staff to re-weigh the stock to ascertain the volume of each incoming sack of rice and directly witnessed moisture content testing.
This strategic step was taken to ensure that the food commodities distributed to the people of Bumi Cendrawasih are in the best, healthiest, and most hygienic condition. Rizal observed the sampling process of rice that had just been unloaded from a transport truck. Together with the board of directors, a white funnel-shaped container filled with rice was presented for a visual assessment of its quality.
Rizal even directly tested the rice quality using the provided equipment. He ensured that the percentage of broken grains did not exceed the specified threshold and that the broken kernels remained within limits.
Through strict supervision, Bulog is not only focusing on the quantity of stock, which is planned to triple in Papua, but also on maintaining consistency in taste and the physical quality of the rice when it reaches the public’s plates. Bulog is committed to providing the best food logistics services through the distribution of rice, corn, and other commodities, paying close attention to the quality of products received by the community, in line with the directives of President Prabowo Subianto.
“In accordance with the directives of the President and the Minister of Agriculture (Andi Amran Sulaiman), Bulog must be the best servant for the community, especially in the logistics sector,” Rizal stressed.
Rizal also encouraged all Bulog personnel in Papua to continue improving their performance so that food distribution services are fast, well-targeted, and meet the community’s needs. Bulog also assured the public that there is no need to worry about rice availability, as the national food reserve is in a sufficient condition to meet demand.
The rice supply to Papua is strengthened through a stock transfer mechanism from national production centres, such as South Sulawesi and East Java. These two provinces were chosen because they have high rice production and distribution access that supports smooth delivery to the Papua region.
Bulog emphasised that it will continue to maintain service quality and food supply so that the needs of the Papuan community are met safely, with quality, and sustainably throughout the year. “And we are committed and encourage all Bulog personnel to provide the best quality service and distribution of rice, corn, and so on, so as not to disappoint the community,” Rizal said.
Bulog noted that the current rice stock across Papua stands at approximately 17,000 tonnes, spread across various warehouses to meet the needs of the local community. The stock will be strengthened threefold to reach 50,000 tonnes. Specifically for the Argapura Warehouse in Jayapura, Bulog recorded available rice stock at around 985 tonnes. The stock is ready to be distributed as needed so that food distribution continues to run smoothly in the region.