Bulog Strengthens Strategy to Face Geopolitics and El Niño to Ensure Food Security
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Perum Bulog’s President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani emphasised that the company is strengthening its strategies to address global geopolitical dynamics and drought caused by the extreme El Niño phenomenon to ensure national food resilience remains secure.
“Bulog’s efforts in anticipating global dynamics are in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s statement that whatever happens, while many other nations face difficulties, at least we remain secure in terms of food. This is his statement on the official Instagram of the State Secretariat,” Rizal said during a meeting with the House of Representatives’ Commission IV in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining national food availability securely, even though many other countries are facing difficulties due to global pressures and climate change.
The statement aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directives, which emphasise the importance of preserving national food stability amid ongoing global challenges.
Furthermore, the government is ensuring that food prices remain stable and unaffected by geopolitical turmoil, including conflicts in the Middle East that could impact global supply chains.
The government’s rice reserve stock (CBP) managed by Bulog is in a secure position, reaching 4.59 million tonnes.
Bulog is strengthening synergies with various ministries and institutions, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade, as well as the TNI and Police, to address national food challenges.
Collaboration is also being carried out with food state-owned enterprises such as ID FOOD and Berdikari, as well as the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to anticipate the impact of climate change on food production.
In addition, Bulog is increasing coordination with the House of Representatives, particularly Commissions IV, VI, and XI, to obtain policy support and strategic input in facing global dynamics.
Intensive coordination is also conducted with various parties, including the private sector in logistics, to ensure smooth distribution and absorption of agricultural products across Indonesia.
Bulog has also established a command centre post to monitor global situation developments and potential El Niño impacts in real time as part of a rapid response system.
To maintain price stability, Bulog routinely conducts monitoring in traditional markets together with the National Food Agency (Bapanas) and the Police Food Task Force up to three times a week.
Additionally, supervision is carried out at the producer level to ensure prices remain in line with the highest retail price and the government’s reference price that has been set.
“Then we also monitor producers’ factories to check that prices comply with the HET (highest retail price) and HAP (reference selling price),” he explained.
Bulog is also actively providing information to the public to prevent panic and ensure food conditions remain under control amid global issues and climate change.
As an additional step, Rizal said, Bulog is implementing market operations and internal efficiencies, including flexible work policies for staff, while ensuring field teams remain active in procuring grain from farmers.
“However, for those in the field, especially the grain pickup teams, they must be in the field. If they’re not in the field, they can’t pick up the grain,” Rizal said.