Call TPID Having An Important Role In Overcoming Food Inflation, BELIOS Director Cermifys Regional Government Programs From Regional Incentive Funds

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Director of the Center of Economics and Laws Studies (CELIOS) Bhima Yudistira said that the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) has an important role in curbing the inflation rate of volatile food (sugar food).

This role can be carried out through coordination of supply between regions, compiling food balances per district which are real time even at the village level, to encouraging the reuse of village food barns.

According to Bhima, this role will complement the food transportation subsidy, provided that transportation subsidies can intervene at the appropriate distribution points with strict supervision, so that prices in consumers can be more affordable. Food transportation subsidies can also be effective if the food distribution chain is shorter.

On the other hand, the program launched by the government, namely, regional incentive funds (DID) also have a role in reducing food prices.

However, Bhima said that there are several pre-requirements that need to be met, namely technically how the service at the regional government level prepares program plans, human resources that focus on overcoming inflation issues, food data, agricultural actors including food distributors with integrity, and the presence of BUMD as the front line to cut food distribution.

"If the prerequisites were met, DID could be more effective in reducing food price pressures," he explained, quoted by Antara, Monday, September 26.

Previously, President Jokowi ordered all levels of local government, both district/city and provincial levels, to cooperate with TPID to reduce the inflation rate caused by food groups.

The President asked every local government to identify the prices of any food commodities that are high in their respective regions, including maintaining stock availability and stability in the prices of goods, especially basic goods, and solving obstacles in terms of production and distribution.