South Kalimantan Police's food task force prevents food shortage ahead of Eid

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The South Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kalsel) have formed a Food and Fuel Task Force to anticipate shortage of basic and important commodities (bapokting) ahead of Eid a-Fitr 1445 Hijriah.

"This task force has been working long before Eid conducting monitoring on the ground," said South Kalimantan Regional Police Chief Inspector General Winarto in Banjarmasin, Sunday.

The task force led by Director of Special Crime Investigation Senior Commissioner M Gafur Aditya Siregar is moving to search out indications of market play.

They coordinate and synergize with related stakeholders, such as Trade Office and South Kalimantan Food Security Agency.

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The Police Chief expounded that the government is obliged to safeguard food supplies and prices considering food concerns the livelihod of many people on high scale to meet needs and is supporting factor for people's welfare.

Likewise, the need for fuel certainly increases every Eid season when most people making homebound travel using vehicles.

To this end, Winarto ordered the task force to take a real action to prevent any turmoil in the market and to take firm action if criminal acts are found.

The task force, he emphasized, must be able to ensure that stock of basic commodities are sufficient at relatively normal prices during Ramadan and Eid.

Winarto reminded distributors and wholesalers not to play with distribution and goods on the market, so as not to result in prices at consumer level.

"We also must educate the public not to panic and not to buy excessively or stock up on goods because the consequences could trigger price increases in the market," he explained.

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