Mitigating Food Supply Chain Disruptions Amid Covid-19

Key Messages - To contain the outbreak, many regions in Indonesia have implemented Large Scale Social Restriction (Pembatasan Sosial Berskala Besar/ PSBB) with varying degrees of restrictions on the movements of people and goods. - Lack of clarity in industry and transportation restrictions during PSBB risks creating supply disruptions and distribution delays that can result in shortages and inflate prices. This is exacerbated by measures imposed by local governments when declaring PSBB in their areas. - Authorities should ensure that the entire food supply chain remains active and unhindered. The Ministry of Industry (MOI) should issue permits to all sectors involved in the food supply chain and the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) should allow for these permits to be used for quick verification at checkpoints. The Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (MSOE) should direct its surveying firms to increase surveying capacity at ports. - MOI, MOT, and local governments should ensure that health protocols are adhered to by industries and transportation providers by clearly specifying sanctions and conducting random checks. - Local governments should contain the outbreak with minimal disruption to the food supply.