In a concerted effort to fortify the nation’s garlic stockpile, the National Food Agency (Bapanas) has embarked on a strategic collaboration with ID Food, a prominent state-owned food enterprise, to import a staggering 20,000 tons of garlic from China. This landmark decision was forged during a pivotal Limited Coordination Meeting (Rakortas), conducted with the sole aim of expediting the procurement process and ensuring an ample supply of garlic ahead of the upcoming Lebaran festivities.
Head of Bapanas, Arief Prasetyo Adi, shed light on the deliberations that led to this crucial decision. Speaking at a press conference held in Jakarta on Thursday (18/4/2024), Arief elucidated, “ID Food, being a state-owned food company, has been bestowed with the pivotal responsibility of spearheading the initial import of 20,000 tons of garlic, heralding the inception of our very own Central Buffer Stock (CBP).”
The success of this ambitious import initiative hinges upon the expeditious issuance of Garlic Import Recommendation Permits (RIPH) by the Ministry of Agriculture and the swift granting of Import Permits (PI) by the Ministry of Trade. To facilitate this process, Arief underscored the critical role played by the Rp 28.7 trillion budget, allocated by the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with Himbara banks, which have extended preferential interest rates for this endeavor.
Offering insights into the financial logistics of the operation, Arief revealed, “Perum Bulog has already availed itself of Rp 13 trillion from these low-interest funds, with RNI currently in the process of accessing its allotted share.” He further elucidated that this financial backing would enable RNI to engage directly with Chinese suppliers in competitive bidding, with the procurement valued at approximately Rp 28 billion, aimed at replenishing the government’s reserves.
Moreover, Arief emphasized that the establishment of government-mandated garlic reserves serves as a pivotal mechanism for Bulog to efficaciously stabilize garlic prices and preempt any potential price escalations. This strategic maneuver comes on the heels of reassurances from Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, who has affirmed that the garlic import process is proceeding seamlessly, devoid of any logistical impediments. Notably, the Ministry has already issued import permits for a staggering 300,000 tons of garlic to meet burgeoning domestic demand, underscoring the proactive stance of the government in addressing food security concerns.
