REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEKASI -- Increases in basic food items at the beginning of Ramadan has increasingly strangled small vendors and food stalls. Traders hope the government can take steps to intervene to control prices of basic commodities.

"All prices of commodities have risen. Chickens used to Rp 18 thousand per kilo, now Rp 22 thousand. The beef is now Rp 130 thousand," said the merchant stalls at a local restaurant "Union" in New Market Bekasi, Village Durenjaya, East Bekasi, Nurhayati (58 years) to Republika.co.id, Tuesday (7/6).

Nurhayati said the increase occurred especially in the commodity of beef, oil, sugar, and red onion. The price of rice is still relatively stable. Cooking oil that normally could still be worth Rp 11 thousand now raised Rp 12 thousand. Granulated sugar prices raised Rp 13 thousand to Rp 16 thousand.

According Nurhayati, the condition was clearly affecting his income at his food stall. Prices are rising, while he could not raise the prices of cuisine. The price increase has occurred about two weeks ahead of Ramadan, and reached its peak at the time of Ramadhan. "If (prices) is rising, people will increasingly run away. There's already deserted food stalls,” he said.

Due to price increases, said Nurhayati, the advantages are less. Small homed-restaurant are also deserted by most people in the market in order to fast for Ramadan. East Bekasi residents said, when crowded, daily revenue of about Rp 1 million, but now the average is only Rp 600 thousand. He hopes the government can suppress the prices of basic necessities.

In addition to the increase in basic commodities, some vegetables also increased. Prices of vegetables in the Market Master Cibitung, Bekasi, which used to be a wholesale of other traditional markets in the city in district of Bekasi has evidently rose. The increase occurred in tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, green beans, celery, flattened corn, potato, onion, and garlic. Onion prices rose by Rp 4,000 to Rp 30 thousand, while the garlic raised Rp 5,000 to Rp 37 thousand.

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