JAKARTA - Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (IKAPPI) for Market Development and Market Trader Education, Ahmad Choirul Furqon, regretted the statement by the Minister of Trade (Mendag), Zulkifli Hasan, who considered the increase in chili prices as a bonus for chili farmers.
"We deeply regret the statement of the Minister of Trade, Mr. Zulkifli Hasan. Whether it was intended to be a joke or not, but this should not be done by a minister. Don't entertain traders or farmers with logical fallacy," he said in an official statement, Thursday, June 23. .
IKAPPI considers that the problems that occur are not as easy as described by the Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan.
"The problems that occur in the field are not as easy or simple as described by the Minister of Trade Zulhas. What is happening in the field is much more complex and in fact must be given very serious handling immediately," he said.
Furthermore, IKAPPI explained that the actual price of chili at the farmer level was normal and there was no significant increase. Therefore, Furqon believes that there is an error in the distribution area, if there is an irrational price increase.
"We discussed more or less with some farmers, they said the prices from farmers were normal, there was not even a significant increase, this was also confirmed by the Minister of Agriculture a few days ago. So if there is an irrational price increase, it means there is a big problem in the middle lane. , namely the food distribution chain," he said.
Furqon added that the abnormality in food prices such as chili peppers had a domino effect. So that if it is not handled seriously, it will be detrimental to downstream traders.
"The price that is not normal in the current market should not be responded to with joking jokes. If this problem is not immediately addressed at the upstream level, it will have a domino effect on the downstream business sector," said Furqon.
Furqon also hopes that this problem will not have a bad impact on the image of the Ministry of Trade as an institution or the Minister of Trade personally.
"This problem cannot be allowed to drag on, staple food is something that is important to fulfill the needs of all Indonesian people. Do not let this joke made a bad impact in the form of public distrust of the Ministry of Trade as an institution or the Minister of Trade, Zulhas personally, " he said.
For your information, the price of staple food has increased significantly. One of them is chili. Responding to this, the Minister of Trade (Mendag), Zulkifli Hasan, actually sees this price increase as a bonus for chili farmers.
"If curly chili is seasonal red chili, farmers will get a bonus from time to time," said Zulkifli when met at the State Palace, Monday, June 20.
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