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KOMPAS.com – A number of control policies cooking oil price in the country has been rolled out throughout January-February this year. Although the national average price is gradually falling, the price of cooking oil is still relatively high, at least still above the regulation highest retail price (THE).
The supply is also still tight so that some people find it difficult to get cooking oil at affordable prices in modern retail or in traditional markets.
In fact, the policy on the obligation to meet the needs of the domestic market (domestic market obligation/DMO) crude palm oil (CPO) and refined CPO or olein have been rolling for almost three weeks.
Over a period of more than four months, domestic cooking oil prices spiked out of control. Since the last two months, cooking oil has also contributed greatly to inflation.
Also read: The Minister of Trade: Actually there is no problem in the stock of cooking oil
The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) is also still investigating the alleged cartel conspiracy of major cooking oil producers in setting prices.
The skyrocketing price of cooking oil in Indonesia is ironic, considering that the supply of palm oil in Indonesia is always abundant. On the other hand, people are forced to buy this cooking oil at imported prices.
The government finally decided to disburse Rp 3.6 trillion in subsidies for the supply of cheap cooking oil at Rp 14,000 per liter.
But lately, cheap cooking oil in the government program is very difficult to obtain and raises a new problem, scarcity. In modern retail, shelves filled with cooking oil are often empty.
Also read: Cooking Oil Is Still Expensive and Rare, It’s The Turn Of Tofu Tempeh Prices Skyrocketed
Although the government through the Ministry of Trade has repeatedly promised that cheap oil supplies are safe and available in the market, the reality on the ground shows otherwise.
In the minimarket network, since the last few weeks, it is very difficult to find government program cooking oil. In fact, the shelves that usually hold cooking oil are now empty more often.
The cooking oil shelves are now more often filled with Barco-branded margarine and coconut oil products. In fact, at the door of the minimarket, there is often a clear announcement that reads that the store provides cheap cooking oil from the government program.
For the same amount of money, cooking oil from the government program is also difficult to find at traditional market traders, including stalls around the settlements. Even if it is available, the price is around Rp. 20,000 per liter or far above the HET that has been set by the government.
Also read: The Trade Minister said, Billions of Pigs in China Make Indonesian Soybean Imports So Expensive
Because it is difficult to find cooking oil at the price promised by the government, many residents, especially housewives, are willing to queue to get oil during market operations held by a number of parties.
Scramble for cooking oil
Quoted from Compass TVhundreds of residents are willing to jostle for cheap cooking oil in the cooking oil market operation held by the East Java Provincial Government at the Madiun Bakorwil yard yesterday.
Residents who are impatient, even encourage each other to get in and buy cheap cooking oil. In the market operation held by the East Java Provincial Government, around 4,000 liters of cooking oil were provided at a price of Rp 12,500 per liter.
The Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, revealed that the need for cooking oil in East Java is 59,000 tons per month.
Also read: Is Indomaret Really Hoarding Cooking Oil?
Meanwhile, cooking oil production for East Java is 63,000 tons per month, meaning that East Java’s cooking oil production should have a surplus.
In Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, a number of housewives crammed into the cashier of a minimarket in Binamu District, Jeneponto Regency. Mothers scramble to be served and buy cheap packaged cooking oil for Rp. 14,000 per liter.
Residents queue to buy cooking oil during the operation of the cooking oil and sugar market in Wonodadi, Blitar, East Java, Thursday (10/2/2022). The operation of the cheap cooking oil market of Rp. 13 thousand per liter according to the government’s highest retail price (HET) was held to meet the public’s need for cooking oil which is increasingly scarce and the price continues to soar to above Rp. 20 thousand per liter.-
Queues occur because so far the stock of cooking oil is empty in the market, if as for the residents, they have to buy it at a high price.
Even in minimarkets, the stock of cooking oil is limited to 2 liters for one person. In Gunungsitoli City, North Sumatra, the supply of cooking oil according to the highest retail price is empty.
Also read: YLKI’s Reason for Making an Online Petition: Dismantling the Alleged Cooking Oil Cartel
If it is on the market, the price of cooking oil is above the highest retail price set by the government, which is Rp. 14,000.
As a solution, the Gunungsitoli City Government through the Department of Trade and Manpower will carry out market operations.
The scarcity of cooking oil which causes the price of cooking oil to be expensive has become a concern for a number of people.
It is hoped that the government can regulate the cooking oil trading system to be more effective, so that the problem of scarcity and cooking oil prices can be resolved soon.
The same thing happened in Lampung. In this province, which is also a granary for oil palm plantations, residents raided a mini market to fight for cheap cooking oil.
Vehicles carrying cooking oil to be sold at minimarkets in Lampung were immediately attacked by residents.
Also read: Several Promises of the Minister of Trade and the Reality of Still High Prices of Cooking Oil
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