TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State Logistics Agency (Bulog) President Director Budi Waseso launched a new rice product made of cassava dubbed Besita or Beras Singkong Petani (Farmers’ Cassava Rice). He explained the launching was aimed to facilitate the marketing of the product in an effort to support national food diversification.

“Indonesia is one of the largest producers of cassava in the world, and the commodity is very abundant in this land, so it needs an innovation to create alternative food besides rice,” said Budi in a statement here on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Budi said the country’s rich potential in cassava production must be used to support the government, particularly the Agriculture Ministry, in succeeding the food diversification program. The program was initiated since Indonesians are still highly dependent on rice as the main source of carbohydrates, which could trigger food security issues.

According to the former head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), 85 percent of the world’s cassava production areas spread over Sumatra, Maluku, Sulawesi, Papua, and Java with high productivity levels.

Bulog was also collaborating with the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT) and the Indonesian Cassava Society (MSI) to develop cassava-based rice which is made of 80 percent of cassava flour and 20 percent of tapioca flour using extrusion technology.

Besita contains equal amounts of carbohydrates (energy) with rice and has a similar shape and taste to rice so that it is expected to meet consumers’ palate.

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ANTARA