MEDAN, Waspada.co.id – Entering the third week of February 2023, the price of food needs in several markets in Medan City is still in an expensive position.
Monitoring at Medan’s Sukaramai Market, the price of red chilies is sold in the range of IDR 35,600 per kilogram, shallots IDR 35,000 per kilogram, garlic IDR 26,000 per kilogram and the price of vegetables has also increased by IDR 300 – IDR 500 per kilogram.
“Today the prices of some food needs are still expensive, red chilies and red shallots are very expensive, and have increased since last week,” said a trader, Monday (20/2).
Economic Observer of North Sumatera, Gunawan Benjamin, revealed that it has consistently increased, which the price of red chilies is currently traded in the range of IDR 33,000 per kilogram.
“In traditional markets, there are traders who sell chili at around Rp. 33,000 per kilogram. However, the quality of chili is much lower than the Rp. 40,000 per kilogram chili,” he said.
The price of cayenne also stuck in the range of Rp. 38,000 to Rp. 40,000 per kilogram for good quality and there are very different price variants, it’s reaching Rp. 29,000 per kilogram of cayenne for lower quality.
“For other food commodities, especially sources of protein, prices for chicken, eggs and several other needs are still at the same price or expensive untill the next week,” he explained.
Chicken meat is quite stable in the range of Rp. 30,000 per kilogram, although the price varies from Rp. 28,000 to Rp. 31,000 per kilogram. Eggs in the range of IDR 12,000 per kilogram, and for beef are still stable in the range of IDR 120,000 to IDR 130,000 per kilogram.
“Cooking oil and granulated sugar are also still unchanged, and tend to remain in the range of Rp. 15,000 per kilogram for bulk cooking oil. And it’sIDR 14,000 to IDR 15,000 per kilogram for the price of granulated sugar,” he said.
“With the trend of food prices that keep getting expensive. I assume that food commodities have the opportunity to getting expensive with a tendency to increase on Ramadan,” he said.
Gunawan added that all relevant stakeholders must be able to anticipate this possibility. Because horticultural crops are valued in an upward trend in price, along with the coming dry season.
“So far, it’s only cooking oil that has an ooportunity to decline. Along with the government’s efforts to continue increasing supply by controlling the policy of limiting CPO exports,” he added.
“I suggest that the local government has considered the possibility of increasing the price of some basic needs at this time,” he said. (wol/nis)
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