The Need For Socialization From The Government If Corona Does Not Spread Through Garlic

Garlic illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (Ikappi) Abdullah Mansuri assessed that the Government, both the Ministry of Trade (Ministry of Trade) and the Ministry of Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture) need to socialize that the corona virus does not spread through imported garlic from China.

The government has determined that plant-based commodities, he said, including garlic are not categorized as carriers of the corona virus. Products that are prohibited from importing are only live animals because of transmission of the corona virus through animals.

"This needs to be conveyed to the public that (garlic) does not have a corona effect. The issue of the last few days has caused market psychology to flare up," Abdullah said in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 11.

Abdullah said that currently the market psychology is disrupted and the price of garlic is fluctuating as a result of many consumers who have just learned that garlic imports are imported from the Bamboo Curtain country.

He argues that if imports are still carried out from China, it is feared that prices will still be difficult to control because consumers are reluctant to buy garlic. It is predicted that the price of garlic will decline only in the range of IDR 38,000 to IDR 40,000 per kilogram, due to the Corona issue that is still strong in the public.

"We Ikappi predict that if the next import is still from China, the price will be difficult to suppress as normal. It may be lowered but it is difficult to reach Rp30,000 per kilogram," he said.

Therefore, Ikappi asked the Government to import garlic apart from China and not depend on just one import market. It is intended that if the country is affected by conflict, the psychology of the domestic market will not be disturbed.

Other countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam and Laos can be alternatives to importing garlic because the commodity type of garlic is suitable for Indonesian consumers.

"We recommend that from Vietnam, Laos, and so on, garlic-producing countries that are safer from Chinese imports because this last issue has caused a volatile market psychology," Abdullah said.

For information, the Directorate General of Horticulture at the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday, February 7 issued a Horticultural Product Import Recommendation (RIPH) permit for garlic amounting to 103,000 tons from China.

The decision to open garlic imports was made because of the dwindling stock. According to data from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPS), the price of National garlic as of Monday, February 10 has reached IDR 55,300 per kilogram.