PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. BEKASI - The Bekasi Regency Regional Government (Pemdakab) is holding a Cheap Food Event which will be held simultaneously in 9 villages in order to subsidize basic food needs at very affordable prices.

Acting Regent of Bekasi Dani Ramdan, when opening and directly observing the Cheap Food Event activities in Sukasari Village, Serang Baru District, said that ahead of Eid or Eid al-Fitr the prices of basic necessities such as rice, eggs and oil always experience price increases.

Although based on information from Bulog, the availability of food in Bekasi Regency is currently sufficient. However, the increase in prices of basic commodities certainly makes things difficult for the community, especially since they are still economically disadvantaged.

"This Cheap Food Event targets villages which, based on the Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas (FsVA) data or the Food Insecurity and Security Map available at the Bekasi Regency Food Security Service, are in the somewhat food insecure category," he said when met after the activity on Wednesday (27 /3/2024).

Apart from the Cheap Food Awards, Dani said, the Bekasi District Government is also taking other interventionist steps to maintain the availability and supply of food for the people of Bekasi Regency. These include the Cheap Rice Operation in each District, supplying rice directly from Bulog to distributors or shops selling rice, as well as distributing Regional Government Food Reserves in the form of rice.

"So this is to cut the supply chain so that it doesn't go directly to large distributors first, but directly to retailers so that prices can be further reduced. And there are many other efforts, including efforts to increase food production itself," he said.

Head of the Bekasi Regency Food Security Service, Abdur Rofiq, added that in this Cheap Food Event activity, his party prepared 3,600 subsidized basic food packages containing 5 kg of premium rice, 1 kg of wheat flour, 1 kg of granulated sugar, 1 liter of cooking oil and 500 grams of chicken eggs. .

"We are holding this activity simultaneously for 3,600 families spread across nine villages from eight sub-districts throughout Bekasi Regency who are the targets of this activity. And people can redeem the cheap basic food packages for IDR 36,400," he said.

Secretary of the Serang Baru Subdistrict Head, Irwan Kurniawan, appreciated the implementation of this activity in two villages in the Serang Baru area, namely Sukasari Village and Sukaragam Village. The basic food package subsidy assistance received by residents is very helpful amidst the rising prices of basic commodities ahead of Eid.

"On behalf of the Head of Serang Baru Subdistrict, I would like to express my gratitude for the Cheap Food Event event which was held in Serang Baru Subdistrict. Moreover, the Grand Opening of this activity was opened directly by the Acting Regent of Bekasi in Sukasari Village, this was a blessing in itself and the residents were also enthusiastic about attending the event activities in an orderly manner," he said.

Irwan said that the basic food package subsidy assistance was provided for 400 families in Sukasari Village and 400 families in Sukaragam Village for residents who fell into the Somewhat Food Insecure Category. Apart from that, people are also advised to be wiser in shopping ahead of Eid.