THE
LETHARGY OF FOOD PRICE
Ikomatussuniah,
SH., MH
A lecturer at Law Faculty of Sultan
Ageng Tirtayasa University
Jl. Raya Jakarta Km. 04 Pakupatan-Serang
ikomatussuniah-design.blogspot.co.id
INTRODUCTION
Food sovereignty becomes the main issue
to achieve welfare. A welfare in line with the aim of state welfare in
Indonesia has been conceived in the fourth alenia of the opening Constitution
of Republic of Indonesia, 1945. According to Food Law, food sovereignty is for
the country and its people in which the country autonomously determines certain
food policies insuring the people's food rights and giving them rights to
determine the food system appropriate with the potential of local resources. In
terms of food production, the country should be able to produce various
domestic food that can guarantee the fulfilment of food needs adequately and up
to personal level through exploiting the potentials of natural, human, social,
economy, and local wisdom resources. The ideal circumstance envisioned in the law
regulations at the implementation level is not realized well yet. Those
aforementioned potentials have been untapped and not exploited yet maximally. When
it goes to the problem of food need, the symptom of lethargy in fulfilling the
need occurs. This circumstance leads to a stability fluctuation of food
availability. Consequently, the price becomes inconsistent and uncertain. It is of course about to make the people worried
and feel uncomfortable.
THE
LETHARGY OF FOOD PRICE
Lethargy is a condition in which a loss
of consciousness, concentration, and alertness occurs. In this moment, the people might feel confused
and be delirious, but still have ability to communicate. (Taken from: https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letargi).
Some researches on sociology concern on the symptoms of lethargy as forms of
social behavior in a society in which the state of apathy spreads and many
people become not productive, often desperate, and passionless (Robertus
Robert, “Opini Kompas” 04/08/2016).
Food price is one of the contributing criteria
to the stabilized welfare in a society. If the price is stable, then the
society welfare in terms of primary needs fulfilment can be well realized. In
Indonesia, the food price tends to be fluctuative particularly on certain
religious holidays, and this leads to the domestic economy. (Taken
from: http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2016/06/06/155929026/indef.cuma.di.indonesia.harga.pangan.selalu.naik.jelang.hari.raya,
10/08/2016). The commodities getting into a fluctuation or exactly price increase
comprise rice, chicken egg, red onion, red chilies, chicken and beef meat. This
happens because of lots of demand from the consumers to fulfill the need on those
days. In fact, the more the demand is, the higher the negotiation will be. In
this circumstance, the traders see this as an opportunity to get as much income
as possible.
Kompas
magazine 09/02/2016, reported that particularly for rice, the rice crisis in
Indonesia occurred in the moment to May, 1998. The society worried that rice
will be diminished from the market circulation. Some national and international
politic observers suggested that rice crisis becomes one of the contributing
factors to the fall of Soekarno and Soeharto's presidency. The society's worries
on the great crisis in the beginning of February, 1998 made the Ministry of
Coordination of Production and Distribution of Cabinet Construction VI, Hartato
Sastrosoenarto, along with the Head of Logistic Affairs Body (so-called
Kabulog) Beddu Amang was told to get to Soeharto's residence. To journalists,
they both disputed that the rice stock runs out. Even if the stock is not
adequate, it will be imported. This statement triggered a lethargy in
fulfilling the food need. Kabulog also emphasized that private parties are
allowed to import rice, sugar, soy, and flour freely. The Soeharto's government
urged that rice stock keeps being the responsibility of Bulog. After Soeharto’s falling, Indonesia got into
the reform period. Then, Soeharto got an award from United Nations (UN) in the
field of food self-efficiency in 1980s.
Recently, the government is suggesting
rice self-efficiency as done in the Soeharto's era. However, importing activity
had ever occurred. Import is the characteristic of lethargy on food price in
which in fulfilling the food need, the constraint is still on the lack of
readiness and preparation from the stakeholders, so that a breakthrough by doing
import has been a public secret. This becomes ‘a project’ for some parties. Those
two constraints on this recurrent problem every year lead to the loss of
society welfare. Through import, productivity becomes weak, the markets are
getting passionless, and such circumstances is the sign of despair to bring
back rice self-efficiency. Recently, many of either natural or human resources
are not productive in managing the food availability. The food lethargy is
occurred because of inconsistent condition leading to the lack of readiness and
preparedness upon the food price that can be obtained by the whole society. This
also leads to an increasing food price and food security will be questioned.
CONCLUSION
The lethargy of food price has become a
current issue, and is the excess of government policy from period to period. Food
security is a huge responsibility for the government and the whole
stakeholders. Good intention and real actions, functioning the policy in food
control from centralized to regional levels, could create a stabilized food
price, so that the envisioned welfare is possibly to be realized. Clear regulations, real actions from the
government, wise entrepreneurs, productive societies, and concrete law
enforcement will altogether create a stabilized food price.
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