Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita held a meeting with stakeholders on the adequacy of basic necessities, here, on Wednesday.
"Ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, the price would be stable. I called on all stakeholders, who have the opportunity to get maximum profit for 11 months, to reduce (the profit) by lowering the price. We must bring a smile on the faces of housewives while entering Ramadan," Lukita noted.
The commodities that would be under the ministry`s surveillance include rice, sugar, cooking oil, meat, egg, and chicken meat. For rice supply, the government would not hesitate to release stock from the State Logistic Agency (Bulog) when the price starts to hike.
He added that rice price would be maintained and would not exceed its ceiling price.
The government has set the rice ceiling price at Rp9,450 per kilogram for medium quality rice and Rp12,800 per kilogram for premium rice in Java, Lampung, South Sumatra, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi.
"This is not a market operation, but basically, we penetrate the market to maintain the supply. All traders in traditional market must sell Bulog rice in accordance with the HET," he explained.
A data of the Trade Ministry showed that the average price of medium rice as of Wednesday has reached Rp10,918 per kilogram, and sugar at Rp12,372 per kilogram.
Cooking oil price was recorded at Rp11,416 per kilogram, meat at Rp117,690 per kilogram, chicken meat at Rp31,486 per kilogram, and eggs at Rp23,199 per kilogram.
Reported by Vicki Febrianto
(S022/INE)
(T.SYS/A/KR-BSR/B/H-YH)
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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