REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The newly-launched maritime outlet pilot project, which will involve the use of MV Gunung Dempo, is expected to reduce price disparity by 13.5 percent in the eastern and outermost regions, Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said.
"The maritime outlet pilot project was implemented with the cooperation of the Transportation Ministry to deliver basic necessities to eastern Indonesia to bring down the price disparity," Minister Gobel stated while launching the project in Tanjung Priok Port here on Friday.
The project is a realization of the government's sea toll program and is aimed at narrowing the price disparity between the western and eastern parts of Indonesia.
To be located aboard vessel MV Gunung Dempo, the outlets will serve the Jakarta-Jayapura stretch via Serui in Yapen Islands district, Papua province.
It will carry 11 containers of staple food such as rice, sugar, wheat flour, chicken meat, egg and cooking oil.
"Ahead of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community, the government and everyone else must do their best to improve efficiency and productivity as well as maintain the quality of our products. This program was implemented not because we are observing Ramadan but due to the need for a concrete program to respond to every problem concerning prices," Gobel explained.
Moreover, Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan pointed out that the maritime outlet project was a result of cooperation between his ministry and the Trade Ministry.
It is expected to help end the difference in prices of the same commodities across Indonesia.
The ministry is providing a subsidy for the scheduled arrival of the cargo to curb price hikes in remote areas in eastern Indonesian.
The subsidy has been applied in six destinations to be served by maritime outlets.
In addition, the ministry will deploy six ships to cover 30 small harbors along six routes. They are expected to operate regularly after Idul Fitri.
Under the pilot project, MV Gunung Dempo, which departed 28 days before Idul Fitri, is expected to arrive on June 25.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika