Market prices increase slightly
Market prices increase slightly
Tantri Yuliandini and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Expecting a sharp increase in the price of most basic commodities
in the market, Kamdiyah, 47, was relieved to find that the
increases were only up to 20 percent at the most.
Traders usually slightly increase prices prior to the fasting
month, Idul Fitri and New Year holidays, but with the recent fuel
prices hike of over 126 percent, the woman had initially decided
not to shop much on Tuesday.
"I thought the price increase would reach at least 50 percent
because public transportation fares have increased by around 50
percent now," Kamdiyah, a resident of Kebayoran Lama Utara
subdistrict, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post.
It is a tradition for Muslim families to prepare special meals
the night before the beginning of the fasting month, which starts
on Wednesday, and to stock food supplies and delicacies to break
the fast.
A trader in Kebayoran Lama traditional market, Ori, said that
they could not increase the prices any higher "because the prices
had been increased even before the government announced the fuel
prices hike on Oct. 1".
The price of commodities in the market increased by some 15
percent on average in mid September soon after the government
said that it would increase fuel prices in October.
The government announced new fuel prices on Oct. 1 -- gasoline
increased from Rp 2,400 to Rp 4,500, diesel fuel from Rp 2,100 to
Rp 4,300 and kerosene from 700 to Rp 2,000.
Unlike previous years where buyers increased days before the
fasting month, meat markets were quiet in the past few days.
But Abas, 53, a meat trader in Kebayoran Lama market, said
that the price of meat had significantly increased from the usual
Rp 44,000 to Rp 48,000 per kilogram to between Rp 50,000 and Rp
55,000 per kilogram.
"I have to pay an additional Rp 300,000 for transportation for
each of the cows I bought from Bali," he told the Post.
Although many Jakartans found the prices of basic commodities
at the market still affordable, the wives of Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono's Cabinet members took the initiative to sell food
packages at lower prices for the poor.
Working together under the banner of Solidarity of the Wives
of the United Indonesia Cabinet (SIKIB), they said on Tuesday
that the sale of a total of 15,000 food packages would be held
next Friday and Oct. 20.
"We understood that raising fuel prices was a tough decision
for the government to make, and that it was made with a heavy
heart. And so we are here to show our solidarity with those who
are hit harder by the rise than us," said Erna Witoelar, wife of
State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar.
Each food packet -- consisting of three kilograms of rice, 10
packs of instant noodles, sweet soy sauce, cooking oil and one
kilogram of sugar -- will be sold at Rp 10,000 (about US$0.97)
each. At normal market prices the goods cost between Rp 30,000
and Rp 35,000 each.
SIKIB was initiated by First Lady Kristiani three days after
the tsunami in Aceh to help rebuild the province. It was first
funded by the members, and as the word spread, by private and
group donors.