"We still have challenge to control inflation brought on ahead and during Eid Al-Fitr and by possible oil price hike," Mirza said here on Wednesday.
He said he appreciated the success in keeping inflation low in the first three months of the year, but the trend would not likely continue in the coming several months.
Therefore, he called for extra hard work to keep inflation under control ahead and during Eid Al-Fitr when prices normally rose significantly in this Muslim predominantly country.
"The deflation in March was attributable to harvest time, but it should not let us to relax too much as Eid Al-Fitr is not too far away," kata Mirza.
The Central Bureau of Statistic (BPS) said in March, 2017 the country recorded a deflation of 0.02 percent bringing the cumulative inflation to 1.19 percent in the first three months of the year and 3.61 percent on year in March.
The deflation followed food price fall such as the prices of red chili, rice, fresh fish, eggs and garlic.
Bank Indonesias target for the countrys inflation in 2017 is 4-5 percent.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
