Market Traders Remind Bapok Type Government That Prices Will Crawl Up By Ramadan

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (DPP IKAPPI) reminded the government to be aware of rising prices for several commodities ahead of the month of Ramadan. These include flour and chicken eggs.

Deputy Secretary General for Development & Education of IKAPPI DPP Market Traders Ahmad Choirul Furqon said that in the mirror of last year, the government must also be wary of rising prices for chicken, beef and cayenne pepper.

"The government must be aware of price increases ahead of the month of Ramadan. If we look at last year, there were several commodities that experienced an increase," he said, in Jakarta, quoted on Sunday, March 27.

Furqon hopes that in the midst of the chaos of the cooking oil issue, the government can still focus on controlling food prices ahead of the month of Ramadan.

"We from the IKAPPI DPP hope that in the midst of the messy cooking oil issue, which has yet to be seen, the government will continue to focus on controlling food prices," he said.

Moreover, Furqon also emphasized that currently many parties have complained about the potential increase in commodity prices to IKAPPI.

"Currently, many parties have complained to us. They expressed their concern over the potential increase in the price of this food commodity," he said.

"So we really hope that the central and regional governments synergize with each other and work together to anticipate this condition before Ramadan arrives," he continued.

In addition, Furqon also reminded the government to pay more attention to several commodities, including shallots, garlic, and especially cooking oil.

According to Furqon, garlic is one of the commodities with the majority of imports, even in 2021 Indonesia will become the country with the largest garlic import quota in the world.

"Garlic is a commodity, most of which more than half are imported, that's why in 2021 yesterday, according to statistical data, Indonesia became the largest garlic importer in the world. Hopefully the government through the Minister of Trade can accurately calculate national supply and demand to be balanced," he explained.

Furqon also said that the bulk oil currently on the market is still far above the highest retail price (HET) which was set at Rp. 14,000. In fact, the price penetrated Rp. 20,000.

"Complaints continue to flow to us, so we will continue to encourage the government to synchronize production and demand. We DPP IKAPPI have an interest so that before Ramadan, commodity prices can still be reached by the public," he explained.