Presidential Palace Monitors Food Prices and Stock Ahead of Eid al-Fitr

President Prabowo Subianto summoned several ministers to the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday, 4 March, to directly check the readiness of energy and food supplies ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The limited meeting highlighted two crucial issues ahead of Lebaran: stock availability and price stability amid global dynamics. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the report to the President covered energy supply conditions up to staple goods prices. ‘Both I and Mr Zul (Zulkifli Hasan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs) have told the President that, from the energy and food sectors, prices are still affordable,’ Bahlil said at the Presidential Palace. He added that Prabowo gave special emphasis on tightening oversight until the holiday. The government was urged to ensure there are no distribution disruptions, especially for BBM and LPG. ‘We must monitor all developments in Eid readiness, especially related to energy; there must be no shortages of BBM, then LPG, and then food as mentioned by Mr Zul,’ he explained. On the food side, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said national stockpiles are in a safe condition, including rice which often attracts attention when demand rises. ‘Safe, stock is safe. Rice stock is sufficient; stock of around 4 million is more than enough,’ he asserted.