“When the meeting period returns, we will ask the relevant commissions in DPR to monitor the prices of food commodities because if the prices are still high, they will trouble the community,” she said in a written statement released here on Friday.
Maharani said she issued the statement as she is still receiving complaints from people regarding the high prices of food commodities after Eid this year.
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She informed that one of the complaints was regarding the high price of chili, which is still ranging around Rp40 thousand to Rp45 thousand per kilogram.
“The normal price is around Rp30 thousand to Rp33 thousand per kilogram,” she noted.
She said she has also received complaints related to the price of bulk cooking oil, which is still above the retail ceiling price set by the government.
Maharani informed that she has received complaints of bulk cooking oil being sold at several traditional markets at around Rp19 thousand to Rp20 thousand per liter.
"In fact, the government has set the retail ceiling price of cooking oil at Rp14 thousand per liter. However, in the field, the price is still high," she said.
In addition, the prices of other commodities, for example, broiler, sugar, and rice, have continued to experience an increase even though the increase has not been high.
The House Speaker asked Commission VI of the House of Representatives, which is in charge of the trade sector, to determine the root cause for the high price of food commodities.
She also asked Commission IV, in charge of agriculture, to check whether there are problems at the upstream level.
"If necessary, I ask the relevant commissions at the DPR to summon the Minister of Trade and the Minister of Agriculture so they can get a direct explanation from the government," Maharani said.
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Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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