REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Trade Ministry is organizing bazaars to sell basic necessities to help consumers obtain goods at cheap rates, as prices always rise during religious holidays like the ongoing fasting month of Ramadan.

"Every year, we pay extra attention during the fasting month or the Lebaran festivities that follow when prices of basic needs tend to surge. We try to stabilize the increasing prices by launching bazaars," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said here on Thursday.

The minister officially launched the bazaars across the country on Thursday in a ceremony at the Trade Ministry's parking lot in Jakarta.

He stated that the market operations were expected to help bring down the prices of basic necessities, the stocks of which were still adequate.

"There is no need to worry because stocks in Indonesia are adequate," Gobel affirmed.

He further noted that the market in the parking lot would be open from June 25 to July 10 along with bazaars that the ministry launched simultaneously on Thursday in several other regions in Indonesia.

The basic necessities on sale at nearly half their price include rice, sugar, wheat, egg, chili, onion and other products of micro, small and medium businesses.

Moreover, the Trade Ministry distributed coupons for basic necessities in 12 villages in Jakarta, such as the villages of Gambir, Cikini, Kwitang, Kebon Sirih, Kebon Kelapa, Petojo Utara, Cideng, and Senen.

A total of 54 businesses, 16 food companies, 16 food processing industries and Aprindo took part in the operations. These businesses included state-owned logistics board Perum Bulog, Pasar Jaya, Kramat Jati Wholesale Market, Sinarmas, Artha Graha, PD Dharma Jaya, Hypermart, and Matahari.

In addition, the Jakarta provincial government also announced that it will hold bazaars in five municipalities during the fasting month of Ramadan.

"We prepared a plan to organize bazaars during the fasting month. They will be held in five places in five municipalities," Head of the Jakarta Provincial Office of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Businesses Joko Kundaryo stated last week.

To organize the bazaars, the office will also cooperate with the Trade Ministry, he pointed out.

"While four of the municipalities will use the state budget to organize the bazaars, one municipality in East Jakarta will use the regional and state budgets," Kundaryo explained.

He also pointed out that the office will allow private companies, state enterprises and regional apparatuses to get involved in the bazaars.

"We will provide other parties an opportunity to sell basic commodities in the bazaars at low prices. For instance, we will not mind if the Jakarta provincial maritime affairs and agriculture office sells meat at a low price in the bazaars," he remarked.

The market operations will be held at Paladewa Street, Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta, on June 29 and 30; at Budi Mulia Raya Street No. 1, West Pademangan, North Jakarta, on June 30 and July 1; at Babakan Srengseng Sawah, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, on July 1 and 2; at Ciracas Sports Stadium on Raya Bogor Street on July 2 and 3; and at Sentra Primer Puri Kembangan Street, West Jakarta, on July 6 and 7.

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