National Food Agency Head Addresses High Egg Prices and Consumer Complaints in Jakarta

Jakarta –

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi spoke about the current high price of eggs. He alluded to people who complain about the price of eggs, but can buy cigarettes.

For information, according to Jakarta Food Info, the price of eggs stands at IDR 32,000/kg as of May 29.

“When journalists asked the price of eggs to go up, the price of eggs was high. I answered the opposite. Indeed, we are setting it up so that it will go up. The price is IDR 32,000. You know, if you buy a pack of cigarettes for IDR 36,000, don’t complain,” he said in the AP Dialogue with the theme Strengthening Partnerships in Improving Food Security from Upstream to Downstream in Indonesia at Griya Arifin Panigoro, Jakarta, Tuesday (30/5/2023).

“How come you don’t complain about buying cigarettes for IDR 36,000? If you buy 16 kilos of chicken eggs, you complain about IDR 32,000,” he continued.

Arief explained that currently, Bapanas is distributing food assistance to 1.4 million Stunting Risk Families (KRS). The aid distributed was eggs and chicken meat.

This, he said, would help breeders. Moreover, the eggs that are channeled have good quality.

“Which areas are families at risk of stunting, we tried in 7 provinces, 1.4 million beneficiaries, we sent eggs, the eggs were of high quality. Helped breeders in Blitar, helped breeders in producing areas, purchased at good prices,” he explained.

He said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reminded consumers, traders and millers that prices must be reasonable.

“So that Bapanas regulates prices at the producer level, then prices between traders, millers, and consumers must be reasonable. That’s a presidential order. How much is reasonable? We’ll calculate production costs, what are the variable costs?” he said.

(hns/hns)