GOVERNMENT SUCCESSFULLY LOWERS GARLIC PRICES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - In the run-up to the fasting month of Ramadan that begins at the end of next week, the prices of commodities are now showing an upward trend, particularly outside Java.          Among the commodities, the price of garlic has been rising, shooting up from about Rp30 thousand per kilogram (kg) to Rp50 thousand per kg. However, with the government conducting market operations, supplying some 58 thousand tons of imported garlic, and carrying out raids on hoarders, the price of the commodity was successfully lowered to about Rp25 thousand-Rp30 thousand per kg.          "After we arrested three suspects for allegedly stocking up garlic, five hours later, the price of the commodity went down to Rp25 thousand per kg, or about 44 percent," Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman stated after launching a garlic market operation at the Pasar Osowilangun Market in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday.          The government is doing its best to lower the prices of basic commodities in the face of the fasting month. It hopes that the price of garlic would be lowered to below the Rp30 thousand-per-kg level. While conducting the market operations, the government and large distributors agreed on three price levels. Garlic imported from India should be sold at between Rp10 thousand and Rp15 thousand per kg, while that imported from China to be sold at Rp23 thousand per kg.

GOVT TO STABILIZE SOARING GARLIC, ONION PRICES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 14 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is now reviewing its regulations on import restriction of horticultural products in an effort to stabilize soaring garlic and onion prices in the domestic market.          "I appeal to the agriculture and trade ministers to meet as soon as possible to discuss the agriculture and trade ministers' regulations, particularly with regard to the importation of garlic and onion to increase supply in the local market," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said at the Presidential Office, here, on Wednesday.          Inflation in February shot up to 0.75 percent -- the highest rate in the same month over the past ten years-- due to increase in the prices of food products.          Hatta said the time for import restriction on garlic was not correct now because farmers at home could only supply about 5 percent of the domestic need.           "It is quite unreasonable if garlic price contributed 0.17-021 percent of the inflation in February which was 0.75 percent. The minister of agriculture and the minister of trade should hold bilateral meetings to discuss and overcome this problem," Hatta said.          The result of the bilateral meeting should be taken to the coordinating minister for economic affairs to be discussed. The essence is that supply in domestic market must be met, according to Hatta.