PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. BEKASI - Acting Regent of Bekasi Dani Ramdan together with the Bekasi Regency Regional Inflation Control (TPID) team held a meeting to anticipate the possibility of an increase in the price of basic necessities in the holy month of Ramadan, especially as we approach Eid al-Fitr 2024.

From TPID data, chili commodities experienced a significant increase in prices. Meanwhile, the price of rice has decreased.

"Our current prices, which are considered to have risen the highest, are chili peppers. Starting from curly chilies, large red chilies, and green chilies. That could be a difference of IDR 4 thousand to IDR 12 thousand from the price set by the government. "But if rice has gone down, the difference will only be one thousand to two thousand," said Dani, Monday (18/3/2024).

Dani revealed that the need for chilies for the people of Bekasi Regency in normal times is 50 tons per day out of the 100 tons of chilies that enter the Cibitung market. But the supply of chilies has decreased with the number of chilies entering the Cibitung Main Market reaching 70-80 tons.

"Usually, when normally 50 tons are absorbed by Bekasi Regency, the rest is absorbed by neighboring areas such as Karawang, Jakarta. Also shop through Cibitung Market. "But the current condition is that our supply is decreasing," he said.

To handle this, coordination with producing areas, such as Garut and Bandung Regency, continues to be carried out. The Bekasi District Government (Pemdakab) plans to formulate a cheap food movement.

According to Dani, the cheap food movement is a concrete step. Where the government buys at market prices, then sells to the public, especially the poor.

"So this proposal is being prepared by the Food Security Service, Trade Service, Agriculture Service in coordination with Asda 2. Hopefully before Eid or after Eid, it can reduce prices," he said.

"I ask that before Eid the operation is done to at least reduce the price of chilies, but that the community and small traders who need a lot of chilies can be helped," he said.

On the same day, Dani also attended the National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) for Inflation Control, with the Ministry of Home Affairs virtually, at the Diskominfosantik Command Center, Bekasi Regency.

The increase in basic food prices in the month of Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr is one of the discussions being held.