Unlike in previous years, when the prices of basic commodities often soared, there was no significant price rise this year.
According to Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, the prices of staple foods continue to be stable following the Islamic festival of Eid Fitr.
"Neither before nor after Eid Fitr was there any volatility in the prices. They rose within the normal limits, in line with the increasing market demand," Minister Gobel said while visiting Gedebage Market on Tuesday.
Admittedly, the prices of certain commodities such as vegetables, meat, and sea fish rose, but they were insignificant hikes that consumers could understand.
Due to high demand, the price of chicken increased by Rp3,000 per kilogram. Several traders acknowledged that the price had risen since the beginning of Ramadan. They usually returned to normal 10 to four days before Lebaran.
"Prices usually return to normal 10 days before Lebaran and increase again two days before the festival due to rise in demand," Siti Nurhayati, a chicken trader, said at Mayestik Market in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 14.
Meat is another commodity that experienced a slight hike from Rp95,000 per kilogram to Rp110 thousand per kilogram. The price of shrimp also increased marginally from Rp70,000 per kilogram to Rp90,000 per kilogram.
"I think the prices of all commodities increase during Ramadan and Lebaran as we need them, but we set aside funds for them," Nining, a household consumer, remarked on Wednesday, July 15.
However, across the country, the prices of necessities were stable on the whole, and inflation was under control.
"The average prices of essential commodities on the national scale are stable," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel stated on Friday, July 10.
The Trade Ministry has deployed teams to monitor the prices of foodstuff in regions that are prone to price hikes.
So far, they have not found any instability in prices, with the current hikes in the rates of commodities such as beef, chicken, eggs, and chili considered normal.
In addition, to help stabilize the prices, the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) has carried out a number of market operations to supply rice, sugar, cooking oil, and chili.
"Yes, Bulog has to do that. It has to be present in the markets directly to shorten the long distribution chain," Gobel explained.
Moreover, the trade minister, who visited Caringin Market in Bandung city to check the prices of foodstuff, received firsthand information about a fire that razed Gedebage Market recently.
In traditional markets, he believes that the prices of goods may drop. "The prices are stable, but there was a slight increase of about 0.2 percent in the rates of sugar, wheat, soybean, and red cayenne pepper. On the contrary, the prices of rice, cooking oil, beef, chicken, meat, curly red chili, shallots, and garlic are all declining," Gobel affirmed during a cabinet meeting.
The price of curly red chili rose 12 percent from Rp25,000 per kilogram to Rp28,000 per kilogram; the price of jumbo red chili rose 9.09 percent from Rp22,000 per kilogram to Rp24,000 per kilogram. However, the prices of shallots and garlic were stable at Rp16,000 and Rp18,000 per kilogram, respectively.
At the national level, the prices witnessed a downward trend as compared to those noted the previous week. This was reflected in the price of sugar, which dropped 0.88 percent from Rp13,125 per kilogram to Rp13,010 per kilogram; bulk cooking oil, which went from Rp11,260 per liter to Rp11,220 per liter; and wheat, which reduced from Rp8,940 per kilogram to Rp8,920 per kilogram.
Furthermore, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro had predicted that the month of Ramadan would not contribute significantly to the inflation rate, as in the past two months, the government had implemented measures to control the prices of basic commodities.
"There is an indication that inflation during Ramadan and Lebaran (Eid) will be the lowest recorded in the last five years," he pointed out.
The finance minister hopes that the rate of inflation by the end of the year is within the expected range of 4 to 4.5 percent, which is lower than the revised budgets assumption at 5 percent.
In addition, the Trade Ministry, along with regional governments, launched market operations in 120 locations in 32 provinces during Ramadan. The ministrys target was to cover 216 locations in 34 provinces, and till July 4, they conducted the program in as many as 32 provinces, except Papua and North Kalimantan.
During the bazaars and market operations, 636 tons of rice, 914 tons of sugar, six tons of onions, 33.7 tons of chili, and 73 kilograms of meat were sold to some 150 thousand consumers.
Supporting the ministry, Bulog conducted market operations in 20 locations in Jakarta on July 3. These were held in two locations in South Jakarta, two in Central Jakarta, nine in East Jakarta, four in West Jakarta, and three in North Jakarta.
(T.A014/KR-BSR/B003)
Reporter: andi abdu
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
