Klojen (malangkota.go.id) – The prices of a number of food commodities continued to experience an upward trend throughout February 2024. This was revealed in the coordination meeting (Rakor) of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) held virtually by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri), Monday (26/2/2024).
Inspector General (Irjen) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Tomsi Tohir Balaw, who led the inflation coordination meeting, again emphasized to all parties to pay more attention to the price increases of a number of food commodities. According to him, regional governments (pemda) and related stakeholders must take serious measures so that people's purchasing power does not decline, which will have an impact on the rate of inflation.
"All parties should help the central government to monitor every week. If necessary every day, so that the inflation rate in Indonesia does not increase drastically and have an impact on soaring prices that cause a domino effect on the community," he said.
In the report he submitted, it was seen that several commodities were still experiencing price increases, including rice, red chili, chicken eggs, and chicken meat. The general Price Development Index (IPH) as an aggregate of food commodities also continued to show an increasing trend that continued throughout February. Given that the fourth week is a proxy mtm for monthly inflation of the 20 monitored food commodities, the report shows the potential for inflation in these commodities.
"Considering that next month we will enter the month of Ramadan, real steps need to be taken to curb the rate of price increases in these commodities so that they do not continue next month," he explained.
Responding to the directive, Acting Mayor of Malang Dr. Ir. Wahyu Hidayat, MM in the High Level Meeting (HLM) TPID held after the inflation coordination meeting stated that the Malang City Government will continue to be aware of price fluctuations and the availability of a number of commodities, such as premium rice, red chilies, curly red chilies, chicken eggs, shallots and garlic, especially ahead of Ramadan.
Although currently the demand for commodities is considered quite normal, and prices are relatively controlled, the Acting Mayor of Malang asked all parties to continue monitoring and evaluating, as well as monitoring the stability of prices and the availability of volatile commodities, which could trigger an increase in the consumer price index and inflation in Malang City. According to him, although prices are relatively stable, early mitigation is needed, as a concrete step to control food inflation in Malang City before Ramadan.
"The economic slowdown is felt, be aware of the decline in people's purchasing power, evaluate the implementation of cheap markets whether they are right on target, to increase people's purchasing power," he added.
Furthermore, Wahyu asked the Malang City TPID to immediately follow up on the possibility of inter-regional cooperation (KAD), including with Malang Regency and Probolinggo Regency for several volatile commodities if necessary, as an effort to control inflation in Malang City. (iu/yon)
