Demand For Basic Materials To Increase Ahead Of Nataru, Erick Thohir Asks SOEs To Keep Stocks And Prices

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir confiscated food SOEs that are members of the Food SOE Holding or ID Food to monitor the development of basic material availability ahead of the Christmas and New Year 2023 holidays (Nataru). Furthermore, Erick said at that moment there would be an increase in demand. Therefore, said Erick, state-owned companies must be present to meet the needs of the community. "We know that the trend of basic material needs at the end of the year will increase. SOEs must be present in meeting the needs of the community," Erick said in an official statement, Friday, December 2. In his observation, Erick said that the availability of basic commodities was still safe. Erick said that the Ministry of SOEs would continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Trade and local governments (Pemda) in anticipating an increase in the prices of basic commodities towards the end of the year. "Earlier, Mr. Mendag (Zulkifli Hasan) had conveyed that the price of onions, curly red chilies, tempeh, was still fixed, and even the price of chickens actually fell. Indeed, there are some that rose slightly like cayenne pepper and eggs. Overall, the stock is sufficient, including Bulog rice is still safe," said Erick.

The man who was born in Jakarta conveyed that the government is working hard to maintain basic needs for the community. SOEs, continued Erick, also help in maintaining the stability of basic commodities prices. As a third of the economic power, Erick said, SOEs have the ability to balance the market when prices increase. This has been done by SOEs such as during a pandemic by providing a much cheaper price of masks. Furthermore, Erick said that SOEs are also ready to carry out market operations by holding low-cost markets in a number of regions that work with local governments. "For that, why do I often emphasize that SOEs must be healthy. The function is that when prices rise, SOEs can be present to intervene in the market so as to help people get affordable prices for basic commodities. If the SOEs are not healthy,boro-boro wants to help the community," said Erick.