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Calls mount to suppress increase of basic food prices ahead of Ramadan
The national average garlic price has almost doubled to Rp 44,500 per kilogram on Thursday from double from between Rp 25,000 per kg to Rp 30,000 per kg in January
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Half down: Workers sort garlic at Bitingan Market in Kudus, Central Java, in this file photo. (Antara/Yusuf Nugroho )
B
usinesspeople and experts are urging the government to control the prices of basic commodities, which have started to increase a month before Ramadan.
Traditional Market Vendors Association (APPSI) vice chairman Sarman Simanjorang said a recent wave of panic buying had caused a decline in the supply of basic commodities, with people buying more than usual over fears that the government’s effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 could disrupt the supply chain.
“Honestly, we’re all panicking in the face of this coronavirus. Everyone is burdened, especially the public. Don’t make the people worry about an insufficient supply of basic necessities amid this current difficult situation,” Sarman said on Thursday, adding that the government must maintain the people's purchasing power.
Sarman’s woes echo similar calls to ensure there is a sufficient supply of staple goods during the Ramadan and Idul Fitri holiday season when demand for food increases sharply. Ramadan is expected to begin on April 24, yet prices have risen well in advance.
The average price of garlic nationwide almost doubled to Rp 44,500 per kilogram on Thursday from between Rp 25,000 and Rp 30,000 per kg in January, according to the Information Center for Strategic Food Prices (PIHPS). The coronavirus has been blamed for disrupting garlic imports from China, causing a shortage of supplies that has in turn led to a sharp increase in prices of the commodity.
The increase in garlic prices, among other commodities, led to an increase in headline inflation in Indonesia to 2.98 percent in February from 2.68 percent in January. Volatile food inflation was recorded at 6.68 percent in February year-on-year (yoy), while core inflation was steady at 2.76 percent.
Sugar prices sat at Rp 17,650 per kg, exceeding its price ceiling of Rp 12,500 per kg. The Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) said in a statement on March 20 that the sharp price increase was caused by a thinning supply, with the government late to import sugar.
