The Ministry of Agriculture held a farmers’ market (Pasar Tani) event in Bandarlampung, Lampung, on Wednesday to ensure the stability of essential foods/goods prices ahead of Eid. “We have held the Pasar Tani to ensure that food prices in Lampung are safe. We also want to inform the public that there has been no significant spike (in prices) ahead of Eid al-Fitr,” Head of the Agricultural Training Center of the Agricultural Human Resources Extension and Development Agency Leli Nuryati said on Wednesday. It is hoped that through the farmers’ market, people can get essential food at a price cheaper than the market price, she added. The Pasar Tani program is expected to ease people’s concerns and prevent panic by ensuring food price conditions are under control before Eid, she said. “Even if there is an increase in food prices in the market, it would not be significant, so we hope the community can remain calm in facing Eid,” she said. According to Nuryati, the activity needs to be held regularly and closely with the community. She said the program is in accordance with one of the ministry’s important tasks: to ensure food availability for the people. “We will continue to monitor in order to guarantee food supplies and prices, and together with our related offices, we will monitor and report the prices in the market every day and every week,” she informed. Then, if there are regions that experience food deficits, they will be supplied from areas with a food surplus, she said. For instance, if shallot stocks in Lampung are in deficit, they will be supplied from other areas with surplus stocks such as Brebes and others, she highlighted. “We will also ensure that existing (food) distribution and supply at the consumer, distributor, and agent levels are available and safe until Eid al-Fitr,” she said. Source: Antara News