Agricom.id, JAKARTA – Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo emphasized that based on the data available, 11 daily needs are good. He thought that the people should not worry that the stocks of food reduce that could make the price more expensive.

“I emphasized that minister of agriculture would monitor well every stock and supply of the food. Please, you people, should not worry. The stock and supply are available. From our calculation, they would be enough until August 2020,” he said in his office, Jakarta, Monday (16/03/2020), as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

He also mentioned that there are 11 main daily needs to monitor, they are, rice, corn, union, garlic, big chilly, curly chilly, cayenne paper, cow/buffalo meat, hen meat, egg, sugar, and cooking oil.

He also thought that the massive harvest of paddy, corn, and other commodities would run until some couples of month to go. The stocks would be and simultaneously be in the markets.

He also mentioned that there are some commodities that should be imported for the domestic production is not enough, such as, garlic, cow meat, and sugar. “It cannot be avoided knowing that the government wants to ensure that there would be rare commodities heading to fasting and lebaran days,” he said.

The businessmen in food commodities are taken to contribute and maintain the stock and the price stable. He took every side not to take advantage from the abnormal situation because of corona virus.

“Come on, the producers and the traders, you all have the social responsibility and be the patriot for this country. The government and the government should be together. Insyaallah we could pass through the corona disaster. The burden of the regular people would be heavier,” he said.

The estimation data of the strategic food stocks nationally in March to August 2020 are rice, 25.653.591 tons (needs reaching 15.099. 846 tons); corn 13.741.071 tons (the needs 9.096.555 tons); union, 1.060.857 tons (the needs 701.482 tons); big chilly 657.467 tons (the needs 551.261 tons); hen meat 2.063.086 tons (the needs 1.737.216 tons); cooking oil 23.392.557 tons (the needs 4.419.180 tons). (A2)