Jakarta, June 30 (Antara) - Shallot is one of the important commodities in the country and is much needed for household consumption, which is why scarcity in stocks often trigger price instability. Scarcity is often met with imports.
However, the government is now determined to encourage the development of shallot plantations to meet the domestic needs and to stop importing the commodity.
Currently, the trade minister and the agriculture minister have continued to push farmers to independently plant and cultivate shallots.
According to Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, Indonesia will, in the near future, stop importing red onions, considering the success of its previous experience when it was trying to free itself from depending on foreign agricultural products by halting its carrot imports several years ago.
"In the past, farmers were afraid of cultivating carrot. But now, our domestic carrots are of good quality and are relatively competent, though the prices are a bit higher. Therefore, farmers need not be afraid of planting shallots as we can open market shallots. Indeed, our farmers have simple thoughts. If the price of their plantation commodities is high and they have market, they can diligently plant them," the trade minister said.
Lukita cited the drastic drop in price of unhulled rice as an example. He stated that he had directly sent a letter to the state-owned logistics board (Bulog) to buy the farmers' unhusked rice production at a fair price.
The same happened when the price of shallots fell too low to Rp8 thousand per kilogram. The trade ministry wrote a letter to Bulog, asking it to purchase farmers' shallots at a price of Rp15 thousand per kilogram.
He said that Indonesia still depended on India to import shallots. "Hence, efforts to encourage farmers to continue planting shallots and create stable business climate will be made, so that farmers will remain comfortable in planting shallots. We have to maximize efforts to produce shallots for our own needs. Farmers will surely be happy if market is good," he remarked.
Thus, the price of shallots can be stabilized, particularly during religious festivity holidays, such as the post-fasting Ramadan or Lebaran festivities, during which the basic price of commodities s are often on the rise.
However, the prices of basic commodities in this year¿s fasting month and its subsequent Lebaran festivities are relatively stable.
The prices of most basic commodities are relatively stable in the run-up to Eid al-Fitr based on the results of a survey conducted by a food task force of the National Police (Polri)
"Thank God, only the price of sugar has increased slightly, while the prices of other commodities remain stable. We have received a report from East Java Governor Pakde Karwo that there has been a price hike, but we have taken measures against cartels," Police Chief General Tito Karnavian stated.
The food task force, which was set up a few weeks ago, aims to stabilize the prices of basic commodities and ensure that their distribution chain in the market runs smoothly.
The food task force comprises investigators from the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department and representatives from the Trade Ministry, Agriculture Ministry, National Logistics Agency, and Business Competition Supervisory Board.
According to Lukita, there was no increase in the prices of commodities during the fasting month of Ramadan and its subsequent Lebaran festivities, and it was only in the past that prices were deliberately raised.
"Over the past 10 years, the prices of food commodities were deliberately raised during the Ramadan fasting month and Lebaran. Indeed, now there is no increase in price. Moreover, supplies of commodities faced no problems as stocks were abundant," the Trade Minister said, while reviewing the Dinoyo integrated market in Malang East Java, on Friday.
He made the claim based on data in the field. The prices of the basic commodities did not affect the inflation rate as well. Even in the past three months, there was deflation, and last month the inflation rate was very small.
There was no increase in the price of cayenne pepper, which was Rp30 thousand per kilogram, and there was neither an increase in the price of rice. Packed cooking oil was sold at Rp11 thousand per liter, while sugar price was set at Rp12.5 thousand per kilogram," he noted, adding that the government would seal the shops of retailers who sold goods at a higher price than the government's highest sanctioned reference price.
Referring to the price of beef, Lukita pointed out that it was relatively stable, namely about Rp105 thousand to Rp120 thousand per kilogram. Frozen beef is about Rp80 thousand per kilogram. ***3***(a014/INE)EDITED BY INE/H-YH(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 30-06-2017 20:18: |
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