Mataram govt holds food bazaars for the poor

Mataram city administration launched bazaars in six districts Wednesday to ease the burden caused by rising food prices across the West Nusa Tenggara city over the past week.

At Selaparang district, the bazaar, which sells food at competitive prices, was held at Rembiga field.

Resident Nasipah, said the package price was only about Rp 10,000 (US$1.20) less than in regular markets, and in her home, the package would only last two days.

“The price is slightly different but in this place we have to wait in line,” Nasipah said.

She suggested the city administration sold more items, such as kerosene, at the market.

“The price of kerosene is impossibly high at Rp 6,500 a liter, far higher than Rp 2,800 set by the administration,” she said.

Another housewife, Susan, said her family was hard hit by soaring prices of fresh products such as vegetables and spices. Chili costs Rp 40,000 a kilogram from Rp 12,000 previously.

“With Rp 5,000 I can only buy a little chili,” said the 27-year-old.

“Apart from helping residents deal with high food prices, the bazaar aims to help low-income people [buy basic food] ahead of the fasting month Ramadan,” I Nyoman Gunadi, head of Mataram Industry, Trade and Cooperative Agency’s promotion and distribution division, told The Jakarta Post.

At the bazaar, the agency offered 1,000 packages to each subdistrict.

Each package, comprising 3 kilograms of rice, 1 kilogram of sugar and 1 kilogram of cooking oil, was sold at Rp 30,000 ($3.30).

“Our target is to reach the poor people in every district,” he said, adding they were given a coupon each to allow them to purchase the package at the bazaar.

Head of social welfare division at Selaparang district, Danil Hadi, said the district covered six subdistricts. Every coupon had been distributed to low-income people at each district. “A subdistrict only gets around 120 coupons, it won’t cover enough for poor residents. We hope a similar bazaar is organized again soon.”