REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The House of Representatives (DPR) has called on the government to stabilize commodity prices in the face of the Ramadan fating month.

"I hope that price instability would not happen in the coming fasting month. The president's aides should work together for this," Herman Khaeron, the deputy chairman of Commission IV on food affairs of the DPR, said here on Sunday.

He said that the president's aides should be in one voice in issuing policies with regard to food stuff so that it would not disadvantage the people.

Herman made the remarks in response to the government's plan to import shallots and the controversies of the president's aides regarding the plan to import the commodity.

"Shallot import should not harm the interest of farmers," he said.

Herman, who is a politician of the Democratic Party, said that Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman should increase shallot production and its management after the harvest season.

He said that the commodity should be preserved so that it could be more durable.

"Shallot is categorically perishable commodity. Therefore, the agriculture ministry has homework on how to increase shallot production and preserve it," he said.

The legislator also deplored the statement of the agriculture minister which said that production of shallot was adequate and its price was stable in the run up to the fasting month.

He said the fact in the field showed that shallot price is high. The minister should think how domestic production is fully supplied to consumers at home.

"The price at the farmers' level should also be improved," he said.

In the meantime, the government has appointed Perum Bulog and PT Berdikari to import beef and shallots to control any hike in the prices of the two commodities ahead of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

"I have appointed the two state-owned companies to control the hike in prices of various staples, especially shallots and beef, following the President's instruction to these companies to reduce the prices of various commodities ahead of Ramadan and the post-fasting festivities of Eid' el Fitr," Minister of State Enterprises, Rini Soemarno, said here on Saturday.

She stated that after attending a state-owned companies' Focus Group Discussion event that in line with the directives of President Joko Widodo, the price of shallots should reach only Rp25,000 per kilogram while beef must remain below Rp80,000 per kilogram.

"This level of pricing could be achieved if the two state-owned companies cooperate to temporarily import the commodities in view of the insufficient domestic supply," she observed.

The finance director of Perum Bulog chapter of North Sumatra, Irianto Hutagaol, informed that permits have been issued to import 10,000 tons of beef.

"We (Bulog and Berdikari) are each given a permit to import 5,000 tons and the beef will later be sold at a price of Rp80,000 per kilogram," she disclosed.

With the price at this level, people will be relieved because as of now, beef prices have reached around Rp100,000 per kilogram.

They will import the commodity from Australia, according to plans. "They have not yet been realized but the permits have been issued and if imports must be made, that will be done," she assured.

Shallot imports initially will reach 2,500 tons and the commodity will be sold at Rp25,000 per kilogram or cheaper than the present price which is around Rp45,000 per kilogram.

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