TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Beverage Business Association (Gapmmi) said that the Covid-19 pandemic presented numerous problems for the food and beverages (F&B) industry. In a survey conducted by Gapmmi, around 71.4 percent of F&B businesses experienced a 20 to 40 percent decrease in sales.

Furthermore, the survey results also revealed that more than 50 percent of F&B businesses claimed that they may not be able to provide religious allowance (THR) for its employees in full.

"Employees are provided with schemes for THR, because many companies cannot pay for THR," according to Gapmmi Chief Adhi S. Lukman during a meeting with Commission VI of the House of Representatives on Monday, April 27, 2020.

Ashi added that, in addition to operational issues, businesses are also faced with the disharmony between policies applied by the central and regional governments.

"If central [govenment] provides operational permit, some regions want all industries to shut down," he said.

Therefore, Adhi hoped that the government can provide enough stimulus to businesses. Adhi asserted that the current stimulus provided is inadequate to help F&B businesses. Whereas, the F&B industry is one of the vital sectors that can support the lives of many people.

Gapmmi also urged the government to include the F&B sector as one of the sectors with access to cheap industrial gas price from the National Gas Company (PGN). Adhi added that it would be difficult and unethical to increase prices during this pandemic. "We expect purchase of gas from PGN can utilize a fixed rate of IDR 14,000 per US Dollar," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto reminded companies to pay their employees' THR. "President Joko Widodo also discussed about the preparedness of business sectors to pay for religious allowance and it has been reminded that THR is mandatory based on the law, and the manpower ministry will prepare everything related to THR," Airlangga said in a press teleconference on Thursday, April 2, 2020.

EKO WAHYUDI l ANTARA