The Yogyakarta Special Region Food Task Force (Satgas) has intensified supervision of the hoarding of basic commodities that can trigger scarcity and price fluctuations ahead of the 2022 Christmas and 2023 New Year holidays.
Deputy Chairperson of the DIY Food Task Force AKBP Sarwendo said the supervision was carried out by checking a number of food warehouses spread across DIY.
"Check locations including in food warehouses to ensure that the circulation of goods does not stop," he said at the Kepatihan Complex, Yogyakarta, Antara, Tuesday, December 20.
According to Sarwendo, the supervision that has been carried out since November 2022 is targeting milling stations, distributors, and basic commodity agents with the DIY Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID).
"Since November 2022, we and TPID have been monitoring, including two weeks ago in our markets, intensively monitoring," he said.
Hingga kini Satgas Pangan DIY belum menemukan adanya indikasi penbunyimpan bahan baik sehingga stok dipastikan masih aman untuk kebutuhan masyarakat menjelang libur akhir tahun. "Sejauh ini belum menemukan berkaitan penyimbun," katanya.
Sarwendo admitted that previously he had encountered excessive stock in one of the soybean and cooking oil warehouses owned by several distributors in DIY, but after tracing the excess stock, it was caused by limited fleets to channel it to consumers.
"After we checked when the supply arrived, while the demand was still decreasing but the 'DO' ('delivery order'/order delivery) was already there. Therefore, at that time we encouraged by providing assistance to the fleet to immediately shift the goods to the market," he said.
Sarwendo emphasized that hoarders of basic commodities that cause scarcity to price fluctuations can be sentenced to prison for more than five years.
"It has been regulated but again it is not actually a violation anymore, but a crime," he said.
Head of the Economic Administration Bureau and SDA of the DIY Secretariat, Yuna Pancawati, claims that in general, food supplies are available safely ahead of Christmas 2022 and New Year's 2023.
Although there has been an increase in prices for several commodities, he said, it is not significant, especially since the difference in commodity prices between regencies/cities in DIY is not far apart.
According to him, the price increase some time ago was triggered by the distribution of regular social assistance in the Non-Cash Food Assistance Program (BPNT).
"Especially for broiler eggs. Along with the end of BPNT, commodity prices have decreased," he said.
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