Surabaya (Antaranews) - State Logistic Agency (Bulog) will start the distribution of some 75 thousand tons of corn imported from Brazil after it arrived at some ports in Indonesia.

"Some 75 thousand tons of imported corn have arrived, 13 thousand tons at Ciwandan Port in Banten, and 62 thousand tons at the Teluk Lamong Terminal in Surabaya," Bulog`s Director of Procurement Bachtiar Utomo stated here on Friday.

The government, in November 2018, had decided to import 100 thousand tons of corn for livestock feed grains to overcome scarcity during the rainy season.

Utomo said, the commodity will be distributed to farmers at a price of Rp4 thousand per kg from the warehouse.

"Farmers in East Java will have the priority, as the largest chicken farm industry is located in Blitar (in East Java)," he noted.

The commodity will also be distributed to farmers in Central Java, West Java, South Sulawesi, and South Kalimantan.

"Distribution of the imported corn is aimed at maintaining the stable prices of chicken and egg in the local market. Thank God, the price of chicken is stable at Rp30 thousand per kg, and egg prices are stable at Rp18 thousand per kg," he elaborated.

According to Utomo, the government`s decision to import corn was owing to the delay in corn planting in the rainy season and farmers in some regions that had reportedly suffered from crop failure.

He admitted that the production of local farmers is adequate to meet the national demand, as it could reach 20 million tons per year, while the national corn demand has only reached 12 million tons per year.

"Last year, we exported more than 300 thousand tons, which means the local farmers` production was abundant," he stated. (*)

Pewarta: Hanif Nashrullah

Editor : Didik Kusbiantoro


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