Agricom.id, CILEGON – Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo visited the sugar factory of PT. Angels Products in Cilegon to know the stocks of sugar are in good condition during the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19) and heading to the fasting days and Idul Fitri. In specific, he also said that there are some industries getting the assignment to solve the scarcity of sugar.

“We ensured that the stocks of sugar are available. This is the assignment from the government to some industries to solve the scarcity of sugar fast, just as what President Joko Widodo said,” Syahrul said when visiting the stocks of sugar, Wednesday (8/04/2020), as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

He also explained that based on what President Joko Widodo told, every minister should do field visit and validate the data. Together with ministry of trade and ministry of industry, the government has prepared the needs about 250 thousand tons and are ready to be in the markets in stable price.

“We have controlled the material for sugar and we do not depend on the imports from other countries though we hope immediately,” he explained.

Based on the Regulation of Minister of Trade No. 7/2020 about the Referential Price, the Highest Retail Price of Sugar is Rp 12.500 per kilogram. But it is about Rp.18.000 to Rp 20.000 per kilogram in the markets. That is why, he emphasized that his side would be in synergy with the related ministries, and the police to stabilize the price immediately. The domestic preparedness keeps running and the imports from other countries could immediately come, including everything that what ministry of agriculture has done to solve the scarcity.

“The point is that in the fasting days and lebaran, Insya Allah the people do not worry. Not only in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, dan Bekasi (Jabodetabek), but other regions in Indonesia (the people do not worry),” he said.

"His side together with the food task force tries to ease the food access,” he told.

In the same chance, Chief of Badan Reserse Kriminal (Kabareskrim), Komisaris Jenderal Polisi Listyo Sigit Prabowo said about the sugar, his side, ministry of agriculture, ministry of trade, ministry of industry do evaluation in every single day, such as, the sugar from the farmers, and the import one both the white crystal, and the assignment for the rafination sugar which would be distributed to the people.

“From the evaluation, we could calculate how much the availability of sugar in the society. Like today, we have checked that the sugar is available in Jabodetabek, more than the needs,” he said.

He also emphasized that his side is serious to monitor the food procurement and the distribution, namely in the epidemic of Covid -19 and Ramadhan days. It is proven that there have been 15 cases that Bareskrim dealt with about food piles.

“The food task force always monitors the food price. If it gets more expensive in the markets, we would trace and we give firm sanction if there are piles,” he said.

“In every single day, we do direct control and evaluation. I do hope, in this very short time, the price gets back to normal in the society because the food stocks are enough,” he said. (A2)