Bulog: National Rice Stocks Reach 3.9 Million Tonnes, Highest on Record for March
State-owned enterprise Perum Bulog has reported that national rice stocks managed by the company have reached 3.9 million tonnes as of mid-March 2026. This represents the highest level ever recorded for rice stocks in the month of March throughout Indonesia’s history.
Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, Director-General of Perum Bulog, announced the achievement at the Bulog Complex at the Jakarta Regional Office on Friday, 13 March 2026. “We report to the public, particularly to our media colleagues, that the national rice stock situation as of today has reached 3.9 million tonnes. This represents the highest condition in March throughout independent Indonesia,” he stated.
Rizal noted that this stock achievement demonstrates that national rice reserves are in a safe and controlled condition ahead of Eid al-Fitr. He added that Bulog expects stock levels to continue increasing until the end of the month. “This is the highest level, and our estimate is that by the end of March, Indonesia’s rice stocks will have reached above 4.2 or even 4.3 million tonnes,” he said.
Rizal explained that Bulog is targeting rice procurement of 4 million tonnes throughout 2026. With this achievement, government rice reserves are expected to exceed 5 million tonnes by year-end. “This is to inform the public that our rice stocks are safe and controlled, and God willing, with this target of 4 million tonnes in rice procurement for 2026, stocks at year-end could exceed 5 million tonnes,” he stated.
Beyond ensuring stock availability, Bulog and the government are implementing the nationwide Cheap Food Movement programme to help citizens obtain basic foodstuffs at affordable prices ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The programme is being executed extensively with involvement from various parties, including the armed forces, national police, and relevant ministries. “The entire effort—both military and police, along with the government—is implementing the Cheap Food Movement on a massive, nationwide scale,” Rizal explained. “The Cheap Food Movement aims to provide stimulus and price relief to the public, particularly ahead of Eid al-Fitr.”
The initiative is also intended to maintain market stability and prevent panic buying by the public. “The goal is to prevent panic buying by the public, because our food stocks are safe and controlled,” he added.
Deputy National Police Chief General Dedi Prasetyo emphasised that the public has no reason to worry. The National Police, through its nationwide network, is committed to helping Bulog distribute a quota of 80,000 tonnes of rice and tens of thousands of kilolitres of cooking oil per month. “We coordinate and work synergistically with Bulog to distribute to the public. We guarantee sufficient food availability, with price stability being crucial to ensure affordability for everyone,” General Dedi Prasetyo stated.
The police support is considered crucial to ensure that the government’s price stimulus actually reaches end consumers without market distortion, and to maintain affordable prices and even distribution of goods throughout the country.