Entering The Rainy Season, BPS Reminds Prices Will Increase

Illustration. (Photo: Joy Stamp / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has asked all stakeholders and the general public to anticipate a price hike at the end of this year. Moreover, it has started to enter the rainy season.

Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics, BPS Setianto, said that not only the rainy season, the long holidays also need to be watched out for because it can increase prices.

BPS has recorded inflation after previously for three consecutive months, namely July, August and September 2020, there was deflation. In October inflation was 0.07 percent and November 0.28 percent.

"So it is necessary to be aware of the start of the rainy season and then the long holiday some time ago," he said, in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, December 1.

Setianto explained, the rainy season can make prices soar high. This is because the rainy season will disrupt the distribution of goods and services. Thus, this condition affects the price increase from producer to consumer level.

"Regarding this rainy season, in the future, it may be related to the distribution of goods for the weather, high waves, then high rainfall. This could hamper the distribution of goods from producers to consumers," he said.

In November 2020, the majority of commodity groups whose prices were monitored by BPS experienced an increase. The largest proportion was the food, beverage and tobacco expenditure group by 0.86 percent.

Then, the health expenditure group was 0.32 percent, transportation 0.30 percent, clothing and footwear 0.14 percent, education 0.12 percent, and the provision of food and beverages or restaurants 0.11 percent.

Followed by equipment, equipment and household routine maintenance with 0.08 percent inflation, recreation, sports and culture with 0.04 percent inflation and information, communication and financial services with 0.02 percent.

"Meanwhile, the two groups of commodities, namely housing, water, electricity and household fuels experienced a deflation of 0.04 percent. Personal care and other services also experienced deflation of 0.23 percent," he said.