Arief Prasetyo Adi, Head of Indonesia’s National Food Authority (Bapanas), has instructed state-owned food company ID Food to import 15,000–25,000 tons of garlic from China to stabilize prices and secure national reserves, in line with Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2022. Garlic prices have surged to Rp49,000 per kilogram, significantly above the benchmark of Rp38,000, prompting the need for intervention. Arief emphasized that state-owned enterprises must act as market stabilizers to prevent volatility in essential food commodities. The price hike appears linked to alleged manipulation by importers holding government import permits (RIPH and SPI), who reportedly delayed garlic imports to avoid government-led price control operations and profit from higher market prices during Eid al-Fitr. Investigations revealed that some importers without quotas had to buy from quota holders, paying an extra Rp7,000–Rp8,000 per kilogram, thus inflating retail prices further. While current garlic costs in China are high due to limited supply, a production surge is expected in May and June, potentially reducing prices.Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2001856/indonesias-food-agency-seeks-garlic-imports-to-stabilize-market-prices (ICE GIACARTA)

Fonte notizia: TEMPO, 29 April 2025