Food Prices Are Starting To Stabilize But IKAPPI Warns That There Will Be Another Spike Ahead Of Eid

JAKARTA - The Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (DPP IKAPPI) said that currently food prices in the market are starting to stabilize after an increase in prices at the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

Choirul Furqon, Deputy Secretary General for the Development and Education of Market Traders of DPP IKAPPI, said that there were a number of phases regarding the condition of food prices. The first phase, namely the price increase, has occurred.

Currently, the second phase has just begun, where there is a decline in public demand for food commodities and prices are gradually returning to normal.

“We should be grateful that yesterday we passed the first phase of the month of Ramadan. In the first phase, it is clear that the increase in the price of basic food is very visible and almost out of control," said Furqon in his statement, Friday, April 15.

However, Furqon emphasized that there is a third phase that will undoubtedly occur, namely food prices will spike again at the end of Ramadan before the Eid al-Fitr.

"We must be aware that we are currently entering a cold phase of food commodity prices. But don't forget that before Eid, Indonesian people have a tendency that traders and the public prepare various kinds of dishes, this will lead to high demand and price spikes will occur," explained he.

Therefore, Forqon asked the government to prepare food supplies. He reminded them not to let food stocks become scarce due to high demand and causing food prices to soar.

Furthermore, Furqon asked the government to centralize national food data into one institution. This is intended to avoid overlapping data between institutions.

“Currently, our national food data can be said to be chaotic or not. In fact, food security is a national priority issue, if the data is still not centralized, it will certainly be difficult for policy making," he added