Agricom.id, LAMPUNG - Ministry of Agriculture through Gerakan Serap Gabah Petani (GSGP) Team, Perum Bulog and Persatuan Pengusaha Penggilingan Padi dan Beras (Perpadi) agreed to absorb the rice/grain produced in Lampung Province. The crop remains in March and April 2021 would be absorbed by Perum Bulog within profitable price for the farmers.

The man in charge of GSPG in Lampung Province as the Director of Food Plantation Protection General Directorate of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Mohammad Takdir Mulyadi told that Perum Bulog could save the crops to fill the food supply of the government and help the farmers to stabilize grain price when it is in the massive harvest through the partners of Perum Bulog.

It is regulated in Circulars of Minister of Agriculture No. 28/TP.100/M/03/2021 to absorb the farmers’ grain in the massive harvest so that theirs would not be cheaper. “After the agreement, it is hoped that every side could absorb the grain as the regulation. Besides, the groups could maximize the helps from the government, such as, dryer to increase the quality of the grain,” he said in the Rakor Serapan Gabah  in Central Lampung, Wednesday (17/3/2021).

In the same occasion, Head of Perum Bulog in Central Lampung who represented Head of Perum Bulong Lampung, Yosia Silas Ramos told that Perum Bulog commits to absorb the farmers’ grain in this season. “Bulog Lampung is ready to get the grain for about 20.000 – 25.000 tons of milled dry grain (MDG). The numbers could be more if there are stocks to be allocated in the province and national level,” Ramos said.

Besides in Central Lampung, GSGP was held in District of Mesuji, Lampung. Head Branch of Perum Bulog Menggala, Azwir also committed to absorb the grain when visiting the paddy milling in Mesuji Timur, Thursday (18/3/2021), as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

“Perum Bulog in Menggala, Lampung Province through its partners is ready to absorb the farmers’ grain in District of Mesuji for about 3.000 tons of MDG and 2.000 tons of rice in this season (March-May 2021), according to harga pembelian pemerintah based on the Regulation of Minister of Trade No. 24 / 2020,” he said.

Meanwhile General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi told that his side would optimally do deal with the harvest and post-harvest to maintain that the rice or grain price could be profitable to the farmers and do accelerate the second planting. Data from Central Bureau of Statistic, the crop potential in March 2021 would cover 1,63 million hectares and April could be 1,67 million hectares. Komando Strategi Penggiling Padi (Kostraling) should optimally work to absorb the farmers’ grain/rice.

“Just like what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo said, Kostraling should be as the small Bulog. It means, it would optimize to absorb the farmers’ grain/rice and after that Kostraling should distribute to Perum Bulog. This would be the good synergy in Ministry of Agriculture which Perpadi and Perum Bulog are in,” he said.

“To help the farmers producing the qualified rice/grain, Ministry of Agriculture also supports the helps, such as, the harvest machines, such as. combine harvester, dryer, and rice milling unit. Make sure that the massive harvest in 2021 would be profitable for the farmers and the stocks are secured,” he said. (A2)