Indonesia operates 2,818 post offices as affordable groceries markets

Bantul (ANTARA) - A total of 2,818 post offices across Indonesia have begun operating as venues for affordable grocery market operations, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono.

"As of today, 2,818 out of 4,800 post offices established across Indonesia have been serving the people through market operations," he remarked during a review of such an operation at a post office in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Special Province, on Friday.

Sudaryono highlighted that the government began rolling out these operations at post offices on February 24 in preparation for the fasting month of Ramadan, which started in early March.

"Most of the operations are being held at the sub-district level. Some regions, particularly those located in eastern Indonesia, have yet to join this movement, but we will soon reach them," he revealed.

The deputy minister stated that the public can obtain a variety of staple commodities, notably rice, cooking oil, eggs, and meat, at affordable prices by visiting the designated post offices.

"Our target is to intensify this movement by increasing the number of post offices involved to four thousand within the final 10 days of Ramadan," he stated.

He expressed hope that these affordable grocery markets would remain available to the public even after Eid al-Fitr.

Meanwhile, President Director of Pos Indonesia Faisal Rochmad Djoemadi explained that the plan is to run these market operations until March 29.

"While the target is to mobilize over four thousand post offices across the country, as many as 3,824 offices have been declared ready. However, supplies and transactions are evident only at 2,818 post offices for the time being," he remarked.

Djoemadi also stated that these operations have been running at 78 locations across Yogyakarta Special Province.

At Bantul District's post office, the government offers rice for Rp12 thousand per kilogram, garlic for Rp32 thousand per kg, sugar for Rp15 thousand per kg, frozen chicken meat for Rp24 thousand per kg, and cooking oil for Rp14,700 per liter.