Agricom.id, JAKARTA - Ministry of agriculture took the e-commerce company, Blibli which is online shop to ease the procurement and distribution of food to the people namely in the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19). Within the Program Komando Strategi Penggilingan (Kostraling), ministry of agriculture officially signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Blibli in the head quarter of ministry of agriculture, Tuesday (14/4/2020).

The signing of the MoU was done in video conference by General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of agriculture, Suwandi and CEO Blibli, Kusumo Martanto and directly witnessed by Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo to advantage the service of procurement and distribution through the online platform of Blibli.

“During the epidemic of Covid-19, the government has two main agendas, they are, the health, and the food procurement. Though the epidemic still hits, the farmers should be excited and ministry of agriculture would help to accelerate the production,” SYL said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

In the chance, he also witnessed the massive harvest in many regions in Indonesia. The video conference was joined by 332 spots where the districts were harvesting paddy and corn. 12 regents even joined the activity, they were, regent of Serdang Bedagai, Banyuasin, South Bengkulu, Rejang Lebong, Cianjur, Balangan, Barru, Banggai, south Konawe, West Sumbawa, Dompu, and Nagekeo.

“We want to prove that it is real. Many regions are in harvest now. It is not number on paper,” he emphasized.

For information, ministry of agriculture predicted, the massive harvest in April would cover about 1,73 million hectares (ha). So the government would anticipate so that the grain price in the farmers’ level would not cheaper than the government purchasing price (GPP).

The peak in April would cover about 1,73 million ha within the production reaching 5,27 million tons of rice and in May, the harvest would be about 1,38 million ha or equal to 3,81 million tons of rice. The areas in May would be larger than those in last March.

In the harvest peak, ministry of agriculture would anticipate to stabilize the price. One solution to do is the Kostraling (Komando Startegi Penggilingan Padi), which is, the approach of KUR (kredit usaha rakyat). The average price in the farmers’ level is Rp 4.600/Kg. But based on the Regulation of Minister of Trade No. 24 / 2020, the GPP for the harvested dry grain in the farmers’ level would be Rp 4.200/Kg and it could be cheaper in the peak harvest.

"We urged that the regional governments should immediately get the KUR, monitor the price so that the price is not cheaper than GPP. We should maintain the food stocks, and welfare the farmers,” he said.

CEO Blibli, Kusumo Martanto was happy for getting the trust from the government of Indonesia, in this case, ministry of agriculture, as the exclusive e-commercial partner to support the procurement of rice for the people’s needs. This is our commitment to collaborate and support Indonesia in the pandemic.

“Blibli hoped, the best team quality, the infrastructure, and the technology could support maximally. These are supported by the logistic chains which the factors in Blibli, including the warehouses in many regions in Indonesia to reach the customers,” he said.

General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of agriculture, Suwandi urged the cooperation is the real breakthrough to ease the consumers to buy rice in online system and help to absorb the grain produced by the farmers. It means that it takes Kostraling to buy the grain from the farmers and supply the rice to be sold in online system.

“Based on what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo told, we urged the heads of agriculture agencies in many provinces and districts to develop Kostraling and to get kredit usaha rakyat (KUR) to absorb the grain from the farmers,” he said. Then Kostraling should immediately make partnership with the online markets, market place, start-up, e-commerce to distribute the medium, premium, and special rice efficiently and well so that the people could access.

“We should approach the producers and the consumers to accelerate the distribution. Because the epidemic of Covid-19, and the policy of the government about PSBB (pembatasan sosial berskala besar) or big scale social distancing, the issues to face are the distribution and the price,” he said. (A2)