On his first official working day, Natuna Vice Regent Jarmin personally led an inspection of food prices and availability during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1446 Hijri. The event commenced with an opening ceremony at Pantai Piwang, Ranai, Bunguran Timur District, on Monday morning (03/03).
In his remarks, Jarmin stated that this inspection is part of the government’s efforts to ensure the availability of essential goods throughout the fasting month and leading up to Eid al-Fitr.
Beyond availability, price stability is also a key concern. The local government must ensure that market prices do not exceed the highest selling price and that there is price uniformity across different regions.
Jarmin explained that price increases are strongly influenced by supply availability. Therefore, the first step in maintaining price stability is ensuring a steady supply of goods and a smooth distribution process.
The first inspection site was the Bulog rice warehouse, as rice is a staple necessity. During the visit, Bulog Natuna reported that the government’s rice reserves currently stand at 174 tons, which is sufficient to meet demand throughout Ramadan and the Eid celebrations.
Next, the Vice Regent and his entourage proceeded to a general store on Jalan Soekarno Hatta (Devon), Ranai. The inspection focused on two essential commodities: cooking oil and sugar, as Natuna heavily relies on supplies from outside the region.
To meet the demand for these commodities, the Vice Regent Jarmin immediately instructed the Head of the Industry and Trade Office (Kadisperindag) to coordinate with relevant parties to ensure the availability of these goods, aiming to meet local needs while maintaining price stability.
At the final inspection site, Pasar Baru Ranai, local traders voiced concerns over a drastic decline in purchasing power, which was attributed to delays in civil servant performance allowance (TPP) payments.
Accompanying the Vice Regent during the inspection were the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Natuna DPRD, the Natuna Police Chief, several heads of relevant government departments (OPD), the Head of Bulog Natuna, and several staff members. (Pro_kopim/Patli)
RILIS PERS, Number : 0440/PRO_KOPIM/2025
