"Today, the Bapanas, alongside the Agriculture Ministry, Trade Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry, food state-run enterprises, and all food stakeholders in 514 districts and cities in 38 provinces, kicked off cheap food operations," Bapanas Head Arief Prasetyo Adi remarked here on Monday.
He explained that the simultaneous cheap food operations, scheduled to last until April 9, are meant to enable people to obtain groceries at prices not crossing the highest retail prices determined by the government.
"We can see that the operations are running not only in Kelapa Gading (Jakarta) but also in all districts and cities of Indonesia. Hopefully, these activities will assist a lot of people," he stated.
The cheap food operations offer a range of staple goods at reasonable prices, such as Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) rice at Rp53 thousand (US$3.33) per five kilograms, premium-grade rice at Rp62 thousand (US$3.89) per five kilograms, and beef at Rp105 thousand (US$6.60) per kg.
Related news: Jakarta bolsters Cheap Food Movement to tackle soaring rice prices
Meanwhile, buffalo meat is being sold for Rp80 thousand (US$5.02) per kg, frozen chicken meat for Rp27 thousand (US$1.69) per 0.8-0.9 kilograms, cooking oil for Rp14 thousand (US$0.88) per liter, sugar for Rp16 thousand (US$1) per kg, and chicken eggs for Rp23 thousand (US$1.44) per package of 10 eggs.
"Such operations are needed to serve the people. During the latest plenary cabinet meeting, Mr. President (Joko Widodo) ordered his aides to maintain food stocks and prices to ensure that the public can genuinely enjoy Eid al-Fitr," Adi emphasized.
He then highlighted that regional governments also share the responsibility of maintaining the stocks and prices of food commodities in regions.
"Hence, this responsibility does not lie only on the central government. All regional governments need to work together," he concluded.
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Translator: M Harianto, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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