Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) has called on the government to improve its data on food production to help stabilize commodity prices, which are typically volatile during Ramadhan and Idul Fitri festivities.

Apindo chairman Anton J. Supit said accurate statistics were crucial to help the government devise proper policies on food supplies. Food prices tended to soar during the Ramadhan fasting month due to high demand, he added.

Anton expressed his doubt about the accuracy of data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), saying it relied mostly on secondary sources. "The BPS must get more funds to allow it to obtain primary data," he said in a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Anton said he put more trust in figures released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) than in those circulated by the BPS. He cited the example of Indonesia's corn production, which according to the USDA reached only 9.4 million tons in 2015, adding that that figure was more realistic than the 19 million tons claimed by the Indonesian government.

Meanwhile, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) executive director Enny Sri Hartati attributed the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, especially beef, during Ramadhan to a lack of anticipative measures. She said the government should have begun importing live cattle in February so they would be ready for consumption in June.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ordered his Cabinet ministers to maintain food supplies and reduce beef prices from Rp 110,000 (US$8) to Rp 80,000 per kilogram. Commenting on the President's instruction, Enny said the price was unreasonably low for local breeders. The price range should be at least Rp 90,000 to Rp 100,000 per kilogram, she said.

Separately, the deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission IV overseeing fisheries and maritime affairs, Viva Yoga Mauladi, said the government should implement trade policies that were fair for consumers, producers and businesses.

To ensure food security, Indonesia needs to initiate food estate programs, he added."Apart from that, we also need to diversify our food. As a source of protein, we should not rely solely on beef but should also consume more chicken," he said. (sha/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/07/apindo-calls-on-govt-to-overhaul-food-statistics.html