Govt Urged Conduct Market Operations

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - A legislator has urged the government to take active steps in controlling basic commodity price hikes by launching market operations in the face of the fasting month.

"Just like the previous years, the fasting month of Ramadan is always disturbed by inconvenient price hikes," Kemal Azis Stamboel, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission XI for planning and financial affairs, said here on Thursday.

He said that in the run-up to the fasting month, basic necessity prices continued o increase which also boosted high inflation. The government must take a serious and proactive step to overcome price hikes that always take place ever year.

Data at the Ministry of Trade and Industry on July 17, indicated that the national average price of beef was  Rp77,390 per kg, of chicken Rp28,328 per kg, of egg Rp19,179 per kg, of sugar Rp13,123 per kg and of red chili Rp27,884 per kg. The average increase in the prices of these goods when compared to those from last June is between Rp3,000 and Rp5,000 per kg.

Agriculture Minister Suswono said the main problem facing the markets was logistics and distribution. The rise in prices was due to the scarcity of food items in circulation. The scarcity would not have taken place if distribution was running well and smoothly.

Suswono said that during the run-up to the fasting month, prices increased but they would begin to drop after the first week of Ramadan, and would increase yet again during the post-fasting Idul Fitri Lebaran festivities.(IGT)