Plastic Prices Surge Dramatically: Minggu Market Traders Complain to Zulhas

JAKARTA - Traders of spices at Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, Gemi (58), complained about plastic prices to Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas). Zulhas visited Pasar Minggu with Trade Minister Budi Santoso, known as Busan, to inspect food prices following Eid al-Fitr. Gemi stated that the price of plastic per pack has surged to Rp6,000 per pack. “So, plastic is the one that’s rising the most?” Zulhas interjected. “Much higher, Sir,” Gemi replied. After being visited by Zulhas, the price increase affects all types of plastic. For instance, coloured plastic commonly used for shopping bags, which used to cost Rp17,000 per pack, has now jumped to Rp23,000 per pack. “The rise isn’t gradual, not Rp1,000-Rp2,000 per pack, but Rp6,000 to Rp5,000,” said Gemi. “This one usually Rp17 now Rp23. Same for all, basically plastic per pack Rp6,000,” he continued. As a result, the cost of purchasing plastic, which used to be Rp60,000 to Rp70,000 per batch, now exceeds Rp100,000 per batch. The plastic price hike has been felt since a few days before Eid. Due to the increased plastic costs, traders’ profits are increasingly squeezed. “The rise is not gradual anymore. Once it rises, it doesn’t go down again,” he said. “Now there’s no newspaper, all plastic. In the past, kitchen spices could be wrapped in newspaper, which was cheap. Now no newspaper, using plastic,” Gemi explained. In response to this issue, Zulhas stated that complaints about rising plastic prices are not limited to traders at Pasar Minggu. Almost all traders are complaining about the surge in plastic prices. According to him, plastic prices have skyrocketed because plastic is made from fossil fuels. Zulhas mentioned that in the near future, the government will discuss this plastic price increase specifically with relevant parties. “We will certainly discuss it specifically, why it suddenly rises so high,” said Zulhas.