Jakarta – The government through the National Food Agency (Bapanas) ensures the availability and price stability of basic necessities ahead of the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year (Nataru) celebrations. This step was taken to maintain people’s purchasing power and ensure that the Christmas and New Year celebrations run smoothly.
“Ahead of Christmas and New Year, we will ensure that the stock of strategic staple foods is sufficient for the needs of the entire community. Regarding prices, of course the government will maintain the price level so that it is not too low and not too high. This is to maintain the stability of farmers and also the community can get a fair price,” said the Head of Bapanas, Arief Prasetyo Adi.
Bapanas will continue to maintain the percentage of price increases that are still within the tolerance limit, the amount of food stock available, or the inflation target. The main commodities that are the focus of supervision, especially farmers. The reason is, Arief considered that Indonesia’s conditions are different from other countries that do not have farmers and ranchers, so that fair prices must always be realized.
“So there is no need to worry about stock. In fact, we have to maintain several commodities so that their prices do not fall at the farmer level. That is our challenge in Indonesia which is different from other countries that do not have farmers and ranchers,” Arief continued.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto said that Indonesia must achieve food self-sufficiency so that Indonesia can become a national food barn. Synergy with stakeholders is a strategy to maintain price stability and ensure smooth supply. Minister of Trade Budi Santoso directly checked the prices of basic necessities in traditional markets.
“The prices of basic commodities are still stable ahead of Christmas and New Year 2025. Supply is also smooth, stocks of goods are sufficient, the Ministry of Trade also continues to synergize with stakeholders to ensure that the Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 moments run smoothly,” said Budi Santoso.
In its monitoring, premium quality rice is sold for IDR 15,000 per kg while medium quality rice is IDR 12,500 per kg. The price of kitchen spices such as curly red chilies and large red chilies is IDR 14,000 per kg. Only cayenne pepper is high at IDR 20,000 per kg. In addition, shallots have increased from IDR 28,000 per kg to IDR 30,000 per kg.
The government appeals to all people not to panic and make excessive purchases and will continue to ensure that the price of basic necessities remains stable even after the Nataru celebrations take place. [^]
