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Trade Ministry calls for food task force to anticipate staple food hoarding
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Prices of food commodities in traditional markets usually rise ahead of the Ramadhan fasting month. The government has called for the food stability task forces at the regional level to take strict measures against hoarding. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
T
he Trade Ministry has called for food stability task forces operating in the regions to take strict action against the hoarding of staple foods that may occur ahead of the Ramadhan fasting month.
The Trade Ministry’s director general for domestic trade, Tjahya Widayanti, said that when prices of staple foods exceed the levels set by the government, such as Rp 12,500 (94 US cents) for sugar, the task force should track the source of the supply.
“If the price increase occurs at the distributors, we will check whether they are registered,” she said during an inspection of the Rau wholesale market in Serang, Banten, on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.
(Read also: National Police establish food stability task force)
Under a trade ministerial decree, distributors of staple foods, along with their warehouses, must be registered and report their stocks to the government on the 15th day of each month.
“If they do not comply with these requirements, we will take actions that perhaps initially begin with an administrative measure,” Tjahya said.
Based on the ministry’s inspection of the market, along with other traditional markets, warehouses run by state-owned logistics firm Bulog, distributors and modern retailers in Serang, the prices of several food commodities, such as eggs, chicken and bird’s eye chilies, have exceeded the retail price ceilings set by the government.
However, some others, such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and beef, are still being sold at regular prices, as their supply is stable. (dra/lnd)
