So, if prices now are increasing, they will go down when harvest yields are in stock."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Trade Minister Rahmat Gobel said that the prices of basic necessities in the current Ramadan fasting month are relatively stable.

"Can you tell us in what regions are prices increasing? If you find commodity price increases, just report it to us and we will conduct market operations. We have to see first how much of the price increase is," the minister said when bidding farewell to rice trucks which will conduct market operations here on Sunday.

He said that in an effort to maintain price disparities the government had also dispatched essential goods to Indonesian eastern regions.

Besides prices of basic necessities which he said relatively stable, the minister also assured that the stocks of food stuff were secure until the post-fasting month or Lebaran festivities.

"What is important is that basic need stocks are adequate during the fasting month and the Lebaran festivities and the prices are stable," the minister remarked.

He said that he met with the East Java governor who told him that stocks were adequate and prices were stable in East Java. Increases were still within the reasonable level.

Goble said that even some prices of commodities in several regions were going down or going up but these increases did not affect prices as a whole.

He therefore called on the people to not worry about about stocks. "I call on the people to not worry about staple food stock. Apart from stocks of staple food, stock of chili and shallots are adequate as harvests are to be done this June and July," he said.

"So, if prices now are increasing, they will go down when harvest yields are in stock. The government is paying serious attention to the need of food commodities in the current fasting month, Lebaran and the post-Lebaran period," he added.
(Uu.A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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