"There are price speculators and we have asked apparatuses to take firm actions against them because their actions to pile stocks and increase prices would only cause suffering to the people. We have enough stocks however," he said here on Tuesday.
As anticipatory steps, the minister will ask relevant government agencies and ministries to help supervise speculations that would raise food prices.
"There must be supervision. There are many parties that could take part in supervising speculations. The state logistics agency Bulog will also keep on monitoring prices. We hope that the supervision by relevant ministries such as the ministries of trade and of agriculture would help keep prices at the required level," the coordinating minister for economic affairs said.
The minister also ordered the trade minister and Bulog to conduct market operations and launch the channeling of rice for the poor.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
