Masks Are Rare Due To The Outage Of Raw Materials In China

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The DKI Provincial Government is following up on public reports about the scarcity of surgical masks and N95 masks in Jakarta. Complained about this scarcity has led to an increase in mask prices.

Acting Head (Plt) Head of DKI Jakarta Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM) Elizabeth Ratu Rante Allo said the scarcity of masks was due to the exhaustion of raw material stocks from China.

"Based on the results of our meeting, the raw materials have run out. That's imported raw materials from China. Because there are cases of the corona virus, production will also decrease," said Ratu when met at City Hall, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, February 18.

Ratu said the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and the ranks of Polda Metro Jaya formed an integrated team to carry out inspection to check the price of masks in markets. Given, the concern about the spread of the COVID-19 disease is inherent in the community. Automatically, the need to use masks is getting bigger.

"For example, we will visit the Pramuka Market, which sells medical equipment," he said. "Because if a box of masks costs one million rupiah, that's not normal."

Furthermore, this integrated team will also investigate the alleged hoarding of masks from unscrupulous sellers. "For example, a businessman hoarding basic commodities when the state's condition is not good, of course there is a penalty," he said.

It is known, since news of the spread of the corona virus has raged, masks are like a rare item that is difficult to find. Secretary General of the Association of Pramuka Market Traders, Yoyon, said that the presence of masks is running low in the Pramuka Market, East Jakarta, because sales are rarely delivering masks, especially those of the N95 type.

"Sales do not get them, they supply them to the Pramuka Market. So between shops are looking for them. Officially, we can say that there is no longer (supply)," said Yoyon, Monday, February 3.

He also explained that a number of shops no longer sell masks with the N95 type. Even if someone sells it, the price is drastically more expensive than the previous price.

If before the spread of the corona virus masks were sold for IDR 200 thousand per box with the contents of 20 pieces, now, according to Yoyon, one box of N95 masks can be sold for up to IDR 1.3 million.

Even though the price has increased because it is scarce, he said, there are still quite a lot of people who are looking for these masks, especially Chinese citizens who live in Indonesia and want to provide assistance to their families in the Panda Country by sending masks from Indonesia.

Therefore, Yoyon advised the government to pay attention to the availability of masks in Indonesia before providing assistance to export masks to China.

"What a pity we are, our outside (countries) are providing assistance like that while here the price goes up beyond reason because of the scarcity of masks itself," said Yoyon.