PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - Food Security Service (DKP) Kabur Garut in collaboration with the Public Company (Perum) Logistics Affairs Agency (Bulog) and the Association of Farmer Groups (Gapoktan) held a Cheap Food Show (GPM), located in the Garut Regency DKP Office Yard, Jalan Pahlawan Pahlawan , Tarogong Kidul District, Garut Regency (5/3/2024).

This activity presented the Acting Regent of Garut, Barnas Adjidin, and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Garut Regency.

Barnas said that in order to realize prosperity, concrete steps such as GPM are needed as something that the community has been waiting for.

"We also hope that the Bulog Warehouse or rice supply, rice reserves, can be said to be safe until the end of the month of Ramadan," said Barnas.

Barnas reminded us of the importance of regular reports, so that if shortages are found, immediate action can be taken regarding the scarce goods, so that people's basic needs can be met.

In times like today, added Barnas, the role of the community is also very important and they must understand the current situation, so that people do not panic buy and over-buy basic commodities.

"So what should be enough becomes not enough, this will give rise to other upheavals where rising prices will certainly disrupt security stability," he said.

Barnas also revealed that GPM is not just about affordable food prices, but this activity is also a joint strategic step in realizing regional food security by developing all agricultural potential.

"We have to educate people in sub-districts or sub-districts on how they can live, how they can look after themselves so that their needs can be met," said Barnas.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Garut Regency DKP, Yani Yuliani, said that the existence of this GPM was an effort to make it easier for people to access food at affordable prices, therefore in this activity, the Garut Regency DKP prepared various food commodities at rates below market prices. Yani said that SPHP rice is priced at IDR 10,900/kg, premium rice IDR 14,000/kg, eggs IDR 28,000/kg, cooking oil IDR 14,500/liter, and so on.

In order to meet GPM's needs, continued Yani, Perum Bulog supplies 5 tons of rice, 180 liters of Oil Kita brand cooking oil, and 360 liters of Minusa brand oil. Meanwhile, premium rice supplied from Gapoktan and food business distributors prepared 1 ton of rice.

"Now the subsidy is 2 thousand, yes, but we are using it for this subsidy so that it can help (lighten the burden on the community), we hope that in the future the subsidy can be bigger, so that more people can access it," said Yuli.

He also explained that in this GPM his party implemented a coupon system, especially for purchasing commodities such as premium rice, cooking oil and eggs, where these commodities have received subsidies. The reason for implementing this coupon is as an effort to evenly distribute the benefits of GPM

However, said Yani, other commodities such as SPHP rice and vegetables do not apply the coupon system.

"Our main thing is to make coupons easier to access the rice. We also serve many people who don't use coupons as long as the stock lasts, because we separate those who use coupons," he said.

He hopes that in the future the price of basic commodities will return to stability, so that the output of this activity is that people can access it easily and affordably, and can increase the income of food business actors.j

The plan is that in the third week of Ramadan the same agenda will be carried out in a different place.

"We have prepared activities for the food event until December," he concluded.