JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture educates the public to shop for food wisely without panic ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah. This is to maintain the stability of supply and keep food prices under control amid increasing demand.
"We invite the public to remain calm and rational in shopping for food during Ramadan and before Eid al-Fitr," said Head of the Communication and Information Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Moh. Arief Cahyono, quoted by Antara.
Arief said that this effort was carried out through the interactive talk show Tani On Stage entitled "Shopping for Food Without Panic, Shopping Wise is Fun!" as an effort to educate the public to remain calm and rational in shopping for food during Ramadan until the eve of Lebaran.
He said the activities held in Depok City, West Java were part of the Cheap Food Movement (GPM) series to maintain the stability of food supply and prices during the National Religious Holiday (HBKN) period.
Arief said the socialization program through "Tani On Stage" aims to provide an understanding to the public about the government's steps in maintaining food availability.
Various efforts to stabilize food are carried out by the government, including the Cheap Food Movement (GPM), facilitating food distribution, monitoring compliance with the highest retail price (HET), including the distribution of rice for the Stabilization of Food Supply and Prices (SPHP).
"I hope the public will understand the Cheap Food Movement as an effort by the government to maintain the stability of food supply and prices," said Arief.
At the same place, the Director of Food Awareness of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Nita Yulianis emphasized that the public did not need to worry about the availability of national food.
The government continues to maintain supply and price stability through various programs, including the Cheap Food Movement.
"Food stocks are currently in good condition, so people don't need to panic buying. Buying too much can actually disrupt distribution in the market," he said.
Meanwhile, Director of Horticultural Product Processing at the Ministry of Agriculture Freddy ensured that the availability of horticultural commodities such as chili and onions would remain sufficient until after Eid al-Fitr.
According to him, the price fluctuations that occur are more influenced by weather factors that can hinder the harvesting and distribution process.
"In terms of production, it is actually available. The challenge is more on weather factors that sometimes affect the harvesting process," he explained.
Freddy also encouraged the public to reduce food waste by doing simple processing at home, such as making basic seasonings or chili paste to make it more durable. In addition, the public is also encouraged to use the yard of the house to plant kitchen needs such as chili.
In terms of food safety, food safety practitioner Risky Aprillian reminded the importance of good food planning and management, especially for animal-based food products.
He also emphasized the importance of understanding the concept of ASUH (Safe, Healthy, Whole, and Halal) in choosing food so that the quality and safety of public consumption are maintained.
Through this activity, the government hopes that the public will be more aware of the importance of wise shopping and good food management so that the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr moments can be lived more calmly and healthily.
Separately, the Minister of Agriculture and Head of Bapanas Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that the national food stock until March 2026 was in a safe condition. One of them is rice, which currently reaches up to 3.7 million tons.
"God willing, our food is safe. The government continues to maintain production and distribution so that the needs of the community, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr, are still met," said Amran.
The Ministry of Agriculture also stated that nine strategic staple food commodities have now reached self-sufficiency, including rice, consumer sugar, large chili, sweet peas, corn, cooking oil, chicken meat, chicken eggs, and onions.
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