Bapanas Urges Regional Governments to Strengthen Synergy for Food Supply and Price Stability

Indonesia's National Food Agency (Bapanas) is calling on all regional governments to enhance their collaborative efforts to ensure the stability of food supplies and prices across the country. The agency emphasizes the need for more rigorous monitoring of price fluctuations, stock levels, distribution networks, and the overall condition of producers within each region.

Hermawan, Director of Supervision of Food Security and Quality Standards at Bapanas, highlighted that strengthened coordination is crucial for maintaining price equilibrium throughout the supply chain. He stated that regional governments are at the forefront of identifying potential disruptions to food prices and availability early on. Prompt and accurate monitoring allows for quicker stabilization measures, minimizing impacts on both consumers and producers.

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Inflation control does not only happen when prices are too high at the consumer level, but the government must also be present when prices at the producer level fall too low.

Hermawan also stressed that inflation control requires government intervention not only when consumer prices are too high but also when producer prices fall too low. Regional governments must ensure smooth logistics and collaborate with the Food Task Force to prevent hoarding and unfair trade practices. Swift and accurate reporting of price and supply data is essential for effective policy-making.

Bapanas, along with regional governments and state-owned food enterprises, is actively expanding the 'Cheap Food Movement' (GPM). This initiative has reached all 38 provinces and 447 regencies/cities. The government aims to hold 390 GPM events, prioritizing areas experiencing the highest food price pressures. Additionally, the Facilitation of Food Distribution (FDP) program continues to mobilize food commodities between regions, with recent efforts including the distribution of eggs from Blitar to Bekasi.

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The number one thing is stabilization of supply and prices. So now rice is safe, corn is safe, consumption sugar is safe, onions are safe, eggs, meat, all of this is safe. Now it's about maintaining price stabilization.