The Coordinating Ministry For Food Ensures That Food Prices In Sorong City Are Safe Ahead Of Nataru

The Coordinating Ministry for Food for a meeting with the Sorong City Government to discuss food conditions in Sorong City. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs is monitoring the prices of basic commodities in Sorong City, Southwest Papua Province to ensure the stabilization of food prices in the region ahead of Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 (Nataru).

Assistant Deputy for Food Price Stabilization of the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Muhammad Siratz Parwito, explained that this visit was in order to review the condition of food prices ranging from rice to Minya Kita to ensure the readiness of Southwest Papua to welcome Nataru's momentum.

"Because there is usually an increase in prices ahead of Nataru, so we want to see firsthand the condition of food prices in Southwest Papua," he explained as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, November 12.

He wants to make sure that the price of rice in Sorong City does not exceed the highest retail price (HET) which has been set at IDR 13,500 per kilo.

During the visit, his party also visited Remu Market and looked closely at the price conditions other than rice but also eggs and chickens and chilies as an important part to ensure food commodities that could potentially contribute to inflation in Sorong City.

"We will see what the problem is here related to the condition of food prices, then it will be conveyed to our leadership. But basically whatever happens here will be adjusted to the conditions in Sorong City," he said.

Dia mengakui kondisi harga pangan di Kota Sorong tidak terlalu bermasalah jika dibandingkan dengan daerah lain.

Justru yang menjadi kendala adalah aksesibilitas pangan untuk mencapai dan memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat.

"Kita ingin pastikan harga pangan, distribusi pangan dan HET aman di Kota Sorong," ujarnya.

Selain berkunjung ke Kota Sorong, pihaknya juga mengagendakan untuk mengunjungi pasar yang ada di Kabupaten Raja Ampat sebagai bahan perbandingan kondisi harga pangan dengan pasar yang ada di Kota Sorong.

He admitted that the condition of food prices in Sorong City was not too problematic when compared to other regions.

In fact, the obstacle is the accessibility of food to achieve and meet the needs of the community.

"We want to make sure food prices, food distribution and HET are safe in Sorong City," he said.

In addition to visiting Sorong City, his party also scheduled to visit the existing markets in Raja Ampat Regency as a material for comparing food price conditions with markets in Sorong City.