The egg price is at Rp24 thousand, from Rp25 thousand last weekJakarta (ANTARA) - The prices of several basic necessities, such as eggs and chicken meat, should remain stable, according to Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi.
During his inspection at Rawamangun Market in East Jakarta on Thursday, the minister stated that the supply of chicken meat and eggs was still in surplus, so the price would continue to decline.
"The egg price is at Rp24 thousand, from Rp25 thousand last week," Lutfi stated.
Meanwhile, the price of chicken meat varies depending on the weight, starting from Rp32 thousand to Rp35 thousand and Rp36 thousand.
Lutfi later emphasized that the price of chicken meat should be stable in the middle price range and not in the lower price range.
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"We hope the price is fair enough for the breeders to celebrate Eid this year," he affirmed.
This was also the case with the prices of chilies and onions that are said to have decreased quite a bit.
Meanwhile, for other commodities, such as rice, the price tends to be stable, while the price of sugar has increased slightly with sufficient stocks.
Regarding the price of bulk cooking oil, Lutfi believes it should be sold according to the provisions of the Highest Retail Price (HET), which is Rp15,500. However, he noted that the commodity was sold for Rp16 thousand.
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When compared to last week, the price of bulk cooking oil decreased by three percent, from Rp16,700 to Rp16 thousand.
"This situation should improve, and hopefully, it can reach the price determined by the government before Eid," the minister stated.
Meanwhile, Head of the National Food Agency, Arief Prasetyo Adi, remarked that beef was priced in range of Rp130 thousand to Rp140 thousand per kilogram.
The price is affected by the increase in the price of imported beef meat, from US$3.6 per kilogram to US$4.2 kilogram as of today.
With that increase in price, Adi suggested people to get alternative meat in frozen packaging that tended to be cheaper, starting from frozen goat, beef, and buffalo.
"However, we will ensure that until Eid, every staple good will be affordable," he noted.
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Translator: M Baqir I A, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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