REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The government has checked food stocks and preparations for food distribution prior to Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, which will begin at the end of June.

"The rice stock available with traders is about 20 thousand tons and that in the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) warehouses remain at 10 thousand tons. So, the stock remains secure," Chief Economic Minister Chairul Tanjung said, while checking rice stocks at the Cipinang wholesale rice market in East Jakarta on Friday.

The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) earlier warned that the government should make preparations for the publics food needs for the fasting month to ensure price hikes would not boost inflation.

"Prices can hike and inflation can increase by about one percent during the Lebaran holidays. So, the price of chicken and eggs, for example, should be maintained from now," Sasmito Hadi Wibowo, a deputy for service and goods statistics affairs of the BPS, said.

Meanwhile, Bulog President Director Sutarto Alimoeso said his agency was ready to supply medium rice to the Cipinang market. "We are ready to supply rice, no matter how much is required, as we still have enough stock," he added.

Based on the monitoring by the Directorate General of the Ministry of Trade on June 10, 2014, the prices of several essential goods had, in general, remained stable. Only certain commodities saw price hikes, such as eggs, which increased by 2.14 percent, red unions 2.75 percent and the price of garlic was up 10.54 percent.

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