REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government continues to maintain the availability and stability of food prices, ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and the Idul Fitri celebration.

"The government will adopt any measures or policies to maintain the availability and stability of food prices. It is concerned about this," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said here on Wednesday.

To maintain the availability and stability of the prices of food commodities, Gobel has made warehouse registration mandatory.

"Every operator is obligated to keep a record of warehouse administration while storing food products and essential goods. The operators shall report to the Ministry of Trade," Rachmat affirmed.

In addition, the Trade Ministry is also drawing up and discussing regulations in terms of trade, in line with Law Number 7 of 2014 on trade, either in the form of government regulations, presidential regulations or a regulation of the trade minister.

Entrepreneurs who package, distribute and trade rice in branded packaging should register their business.

"Therefore, the ministry will be aware of the entrepreneurs in the field of rice," he added.

To maintain security for the public, he noted, the Trade Ministry has cooperated with relevant parties such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), police and local governments to control and monitor processed food, fresh food, and non-food products.

In addition, he stated that the supply of rice is adequate ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan. In May 22, rice stocks reached 6.97 million tons.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil had said that the supply of staple foods is adequate ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan and the Idul Fitri celebration, lessening worries on increased inflationary pressures that usually occur during the Islamic festivities.

"We hope in this year's Idul Fitri celebration, there will be no inflation because inflationary pressures are usually higher ahead of Ramadan and Idul Fitri. Now, we ask the government to implement necessary policies so that inflation does not surge," the minister remarked.

Furthermore, Deputy Head for Distribution and Service Statistics of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Sasmito Hadi Wibowo pointed out that the price of staple foods, including rice, had begun to decline in the last several weeks.

However, he noted, precautionary measures, including preparing adequate food supplies, still needed to be carried out.

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