Semarang, ANTARA JATENG - The stocks of basic necessities will remain secure during the fasting month of Ramadan and Lebaran festivities this year, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita stated.

"The stocks of basic necessities until the next five months will be sufficient, and the prices will also be under control," the trade minister remarked here on Wednesday.

According to Lukita, as was usually observed in the previous years, a price hike occurred two months before Lebaran, but this year, the prices will remain under control.

Lukita also remarked on the current availability of food supplies, such as cooking oil, which reaches 1.5 million liters.

The stocks of other commodities, such as sugar, reach 460 thousand tons, rice at 2.1 million, and the state logistics agency currently has 40 thousand tons of meat , which is expected to increase to 51 thousand tons.

The government has always done its best to secure stocks and stabilize the prices of basic commodities ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which this year, begins in the fourth week of May.

Public consumption during the fasting month and its subsequent post-fasting Lebaran festivities usually increases significantly. This often leads to a shortage of stocks and hike in prices.

To ensure stable prices and availability of stocks, the government, in this case the Trade Ministry, has continued to monitor the stocks of basic commodities in the market since last month.

As far as the government`s assessment until mid-May, stocks are secure, and the prices are stable. The government guarantees that this will be maintained until the post-fasting Eid el-Fitr Lebaran festivities.

According to Agriculture Minister Arman Sulaiman, the prices and stocks of basic necessities are stable. It is expected that there will be no shortage of stocks during the fasting month.

"After conducting field observations, we conclude that the stocks and price of rice are secure until the fasting month and the Lebaran festivities," Sulaiman noted in press statement in Jakarta some time ago.

Sulaiman made the remarks after he along with Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita conducted an impromptu inspection of three traditional markets in Jakarta: the Senen Market, Rawamangun Market, and Cipinang Rice Wholesale Market.