The Indonesian government will help with the cost of shipping eggs from Java Island to control their price, which has increased of late, Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, has assured.
Based on data from the Ministry of Trade’s Market Monitoring System and Basic Needs (SP2KP), the national average price of purebred chicken eggs has been recorded at Rp31,500 per kilogram, an increase from the normal price range of around Rp27 thousand to Rp29 thousand.
“We and the Minister of Home Affairs and others have a meeting with the regional government, if (the price increase) is more than 5 percent, we will assist with transportation costs so that the price does not exceed Rp31 thousand to Rp32 thousand,” Hasan said at the Jakarta Presidential Palace on Monday.
Chicken eggs are one of the commodities that will need to be watched at the end of this year due to increased demand, he added.
According to the minister, the high demand for eggs has been triggered by many traders and the public making cakes ahead of Christmas.
Therefore, the government has committed to bearing the transportation costs for shipping eggs from Java. “Taking it from Java to Kalimantan (the government) will bear the transportation costs,” the Trade Minister said.
Based on a report from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), inflation in November 2022 reached 0.09 percent compared to the previous month (month-to-month/mtm).
The increase in the price of eggs for purebred chickens contributed 0.02 percent to inflation.
The price of purebred chicken eggs had the highest contribution to November 2022 inflation on a monthly basis due to increased demand. The price of purebred chicken eggs rose by 2.77 percent (mtm) and 17.11 percent (yoy) to an average of Rp27,476 per kilogram.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) earlier called on governors, district heads, and mayors to pay attention to inflation movements from hour to hour, as the consumer price index is the “scourge of all countries.”
“I ask you to pay attention from time to time, from hour to hour, the movement of the inflation rate in each region. This is very important,” he stressed.
The threat of rising inflation would be one of the challenges for the domestic and global economy next year, he said. Hence, regional heads have been urged to work hard to control the supply and stock of goods and services in their respective regions.
“This is the scourge of all countries. Inflation. Once again, pay attention to the movement of the inflation rate in each region,” he said.
In addition to regional heads, Widodo urged ministries and non-ministerial institutions (K/L) to accelerate the realization of spending, especially capital and social spending in the State Budget and the 2023 State Budget.
“I ask to speed up the realization of spending,” he said.
The head of state called upon all ministries and institutions as well as regional governments to be sensitive to crises and to always be alert against global uncertainties.
He stressed that central and regional government officials must understand that currently, the world is facing unfavorable conditions.
“Everyone must be really prepared for all the various possibilities that might occur, which we did not predict, which we did not calculate. (This is so that we are) not only able to survive but also able to take advantage of every opportunity that exists,“ he stated.
Source: Antara News