DPR: Revitalisation of Soeharto-era Bulog warehouses to maintain rice quality

The Chairperson of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Siti Hediati Soeharto, also known as “Titiek Soeharto”, stated that the revitalisation of Perum Bulog warehouses from the President Soeharto era aims to increase rice storage capacity, allowing for larger harvests to be stored while maintaining quality.

“We personally inspected the condition of rice and sugar stocks in the region to ensure the adequacy of supply and the quality of the commodities managed by Bulog,” said Titiek after inaugurating a revitalised Bulog warehouse with a 3,500-tonne capacity in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Friday.

She noted that the inspection results showed that rice stocks in South Kalimantan’s Bulog warehouses are sufficient. In addition to having adequate sugar supplies, Bulog has also been collecting rice from farmers to be processed before being marketed to the public.

Titiek’s working visit to South Kalimantan was held in conjunction with the inauguration of the revitalised Bulog warehouse in South Kalimantan as part of a storage infrastructure renewal programme.

“The revitalisation is expected to increase warehouse storage capacity so that more rice can be stored while maintaining its quality,” she said.

Titiek explained that most of Bulog’s warehouses in various regions are legacies from the President Soeharto era and are approximately 45 years old. Although they are still utilised today, these warehouses require repairs to remain capable of supporting optimal rice storage.

She mentioned that Bulog will revitalise around 81 warehouses in various regions across Indonesia, including the one in South Kalimantan that was recently inaugurated, as a step towards supporting national food self-sufficiency.

“We hope that these updates will increase storage capacity, leading to better rice management and maintained quality,” said Titiek Soeharto.