Visiting Dukuh Kupang Market Surabaya, Trade Minister Zulhas Strives To Stabilize Egg And Wheat Flour Prices

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan during a visit to the Pasar Dukuh Kupang Surabaya. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

SURABAYA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan currently admits that he is focused on trying to stabilize the price of eggs and wheat flour as well as finding the cause of the increase.

"Hopefully the price of wheat flour will decrease in September," he said while monitoring the prices of basic necessities, as reported by Antara at the Dukuh Kupang Market, Surabaya, Sunday, August 14.

Based on price monitoring from the Information System for Availability and Price Development of Basic Materials (Siskaperbapo) East Java, the price of wheat flour currently reaches Rp. 11,000 to Rp. 12,000. Previously, the price of wheat flour in the market ranged from Rp. 9,000 to Rp. 10,500.

In addition to wheat flour, the price of chicken eggs currently reaches Rp. 27,000 to Rp. 30,000 or up from the normal price of around Rp. 20,000. The Minister of Trade, who has monitored various traditional markets, also said that the only thing left is the price of chicken eggs, which is still high.

"I am still checking the price increase for chicken eggs and trying to immediately return to stability," said Zulhas, his nickname.

Meanwhile, while visiting the Dukuh Kupang Traditional Market, Surabaya, he stated that other basic necessities have stabilized. "For example beef, when I first became a minister in mid-June the price was Rp. 155,000 per kilogram. Now it has returned to the normal price of Rp. 120,000 per kilogram," he said.

Likewise, chicken meat, after previously increasing Rp52 thousand per kilogram, is now back to normal Rp31 thousand. In addition, shallots, from the previous Rp80 thousand per kilogram, have now dropped to Rp28 thousand.

Trade Minister Zulhas said that President Joko Widodo had successfully lobbied for the import door to be reopened from Ukraine after it was stopped due to the war with Russia. On the occasion of monitoring at the Kupang Hamlet Market, the Minister of Trade Zulhas took the time to have a dialogue with a number of local traders.