During an economic meeting with Cabinet members on Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono proposed several strategies to guarantee food security in the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan.
Yudhoyono gave his economic ministers six directives.
1. To maintain price stability for staple foods and to guarantee food supplies across Indonesia.
2. To distribute rice for the poor on time and according to targets
3. To conduct market operations in all regions, especially where the food prices tends to fluctuate most.
4. To increase food production as planned. Several programs have allocations in the state budget, including Rp 1.4 trillion for the rice production improvement (P2BN) program, and Rp 2 trillion for the food stabilization fund.
5. To protect farmers and maintain prices among farmers. Distribute fertilizers and seeds to farmers.
6. To increase State Logistics Agency (Bulog) supplies to prevent shortages resulting from extreme weather conditions.
