Govt Told to Anticipate Price Increases and Supply Problems

The government is expected to move quickly in stabilizing the supply and prices of basic foodstuffs. It should also ensure that the mechanism for protecting vulnerable groups runs as expected.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Residents buy cooking oil at the Cheap Quality Food Bazaar at the East Java Office of Agriculture and Food Security, Monday (28/3/2022). Many residents use the bazaar to look for a number of cheap commodities in the midst of rising prices ahead of Ramadan.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government is working extra head to stabilize the supply and prices of basic foodstuffs. Prices of basic commodities have begun to increase long before the Ramadan fasting month and Idul Fitri. It is feared that prices will continue to increase when the fasting month starts next week.

Although packaged cooking oils have been released into the market mechanism, the government has issued a new policy to subsidize bulk cooking oil if the market price exceeds the retail price ceiling (HET) of Rp 14,000 per liter.