CORE: Smooth Distribution Is Important To Maintain Food Price Stability

Illustration - People are queuing to buy basic necessities (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - PenelitiCenter of Reform on Economic (CORE) Indonesia Eliza Mardian mengatakan, Pemerintah perlu menjaga kelancaran dan pengawasan terhadap komoditas pangan untuk menjaga stabilitas dan ketersediaan bahan barang baik menjelang Iduladha 2024.

"What the government needs to do is maintain a smooth distribution and strict supervision so that there is no speculation," Eliza said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, June 8.

Eliza said that several commodities such as red chilies, onions, broiler, and eggs came mostly from Java Island. Meanwhile, other areas have not been able to meet their own needs, thus requiring supplies from other regions.

The smooth delivery is very important, especially in terms of logistics costs.

According to Eliza, expensive shipping costs greatly affect commodity prices.

"The smoothness of this distribution is important and must also be supported by improving logistics costs to make it efficient. Currently, inter-regional shipping prices are still relatively expensive, thus affecting commodity prices, this often causes disparities in inter-regional prices," he said.

Eliza said that the distribution of food commodities would be better and more efficient if it was supported by accurate and valid data availability.

Previously, the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said the government's reserve rice stock was in a safe condition facing Eid al-Adha 2024.

"Now everything has been prepared (to face Eid al-Adha). So, we have (rice) food reserves, government reserves," he said in Jakarta, Friday (7/6).

Arief said that the current government's rice reserve stock quasibued by Perum Bulog reaches 1.8 million tons. The stock is able to meet the needs of the community, especially facing Eid al-Adha.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan said that his party routinely monitors the availability of food supplies to ensure prices are in a safe and affordable condition in facing Eid al-Adha 2024.