Acting Director General Of Hubud Kemenhub: Air Bridge Program Reduces Disparity In Prices Of Basic Materials

A trader of basic necessities in a traditional market. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) noted that the Air Bridge (Jembara) program was considered successful in reducing the disparity in the prices of a number of basic commodities in Eastern Indonesia.

"One of the benefits of the current pioneering subsidy is the reduction in price disparities, especially those served by the Air Bridge Program," said Acting Director General of Civil Aviation, Nur Isnin Istiartono, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, June 28.

Nur Isnin said that during 2021 there was a 21 percent decline in the price disparity of broiler chicken in the Bintang Bintang Regency of Papua, with the price of chicken served through Jembara at Rp. 55,000 per kilogram, while the price from non-Jembara reached Rp. 70,000 per kilogram. kilogram.

Then, he continued, the price of wheat flour served by Jembara was Rp. 20,000 per kilogram, while non-Jembara was Rp. 25,000 per kilogram.

Furthermore, the price of purebred chicken in Boven Digoel Regency served by Jembara is Rp. 70,000 per kilogram, while that of non-Jembara is Rp. 120,000 per kilogram.

The cooking oil served by Jembara is Rp. 25,000 per kilogram, while non-Jembara is Rp. 40,000 per kilogram.

However, he revealed a number of challenges in providing pioneering flight services in Indonesia, one of which is related to the security aspect.

Other challenges are the changing weather conditions in a number of pioneer aviation areas, the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) which has increased from 10 percent to 11 percent, as well as the increase in aircraft fuel prices.

"This is still our thinking to overcome it," he said.

He emphasized that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation continues to be committed to reducing price disparities in the Eastern Indonesia region through Jembara.

A number of efforts have been made to support this, including improving flight safety through control and supervision methods, to implementing policies for regulating air transport fares.

"Subsidies also continue to be given to serve underdeveloped, remote, outermost and border areas, one of which is to reduce price disparities. The budget ceiling allocation is IDR 525 billion in 2022," he concluded.