Ahead of Imlek (Chinese New Year), the Jakarta Maritime, Agriculture and Food Security (KPKP) Agency is monitoring the availability and price of 10 strategic foods plus two additional commodities.

So there is no need to worry that the two commodities will be sufficient

The 10 strategic commodities in question are rice, beef, chicken meat, eggs, shallots, garlic, red bird's eye chilies, curly red chilies, sugar and cooking oil. Meanwhile, additional commodities included pork and milkfish.

KPKP Agency Acting Head, Suharini Eliawati disclosed, several food commodities that would experience price hike were red chili and beef.

"This is influenced by the rainy weather that hit Indonesia. But beef is due to the increase in prices from the country of origin," she expressed, Wednesday (2/10).

She explained pork and milkfish were the prima donna commodities during Imlek celebrations thus the supply of pork and milkfish in Jakarta would automatically adjust to market demand.

"So there is no need to worry that the two commodities will be sufficient. We are also collaborating with the Food Resilience Agency (BKP) to sell cheap food that focuses on 10 strategic foods," he explained.

According to him, monitoring and supervision, as well as sampling of milkfish were held at the Rawa Belong Market which became an impromptu market and only happened just before Imlek.

Monitoring included the number of traders, fish origin, volume, including conducting on-the-spot fish samples testing with mobile laboratory cars.

"This is done to create a sense of security that the milkfish sold is free from formalin. Similar action is also spotted at the Muara Angke Fish Wholesale Market and Muara Baru Modern Fish Market," he stated.

He added it was conducted by taking samples in slaughterhouses (RPH), poultry slaughterhouses (RPHU), and supermarkets.

"The veterinary public health laboratory has prepared microbiological and chemical tests, as well as the eber test," he stated.