Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – State Logistics Agency (Bulog) revealed that it has set a target of absorbing 16,577 tons of rice from local farmers in Merauke Sub-district, Merauke District, South Papua Province, this year.The purchase target comprises 16,164 tons of rice for the Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme and 413 tons for the commercial one, Deputy Head of Bulog-Papua and West Papua Office Dedi Apriliadi stated. Speaking in Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, on Friday, he stated that the agency has, so far, purchased 1,082 tons of medium quality rice for the PSO scheme from local farmers. The agency buys the commodity at a price of Rp9,950 per kilogram, he remarked. When asked about Bulog’s current rice stocks, he noted that some 50,806 tons are currently stored in the agency’s warehouses available in the provinces of Papua, South Papua, Papua Pegunungan, Central Papua, West Papua, and Southwest Papua. The agency’s monthly distribution is recorded at 11,118 tons, he stated, adding that rice stocks could be maintained for four up to six months.

Source: Antara News Agency