KPPU Opens The Door Of Selisik Non-Transparency Horticultural Product Import Recommendations

JAKARTA - The provision of horticultural import quotas, especially garlic and fruit, is getting more attention. The management of the Archipelago Onion Entrepreneurs Association (PPBN) Mulyadi asked the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) to disclose all company data that submitted the newly granted Horticultural Product Import Recommendation (RIPH).

Allegedly, a number of RIPH recipients were in fact new companies that received assistance from 'the hands of the political elite' to obtain quotas. Regarding this matter, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) is investigating. The Commission also opened the door, so that the party who was aggrieved in the RIPH issue would like to provide more in-depth information.

"For example, there are already a lot of those who meet the requirements, then there is another version besides meeting the requirements, there are indications that discrimination could be a problem. But if it is in accordance with the procedure, then it is the Ministry of Agriculture's job to provide RIPH, ”said Commissioner for the Supervision of Business Competition (KPPU) Chandra Setiawan in a statement received on Thursday, February 27.

Mulyadi said, of the 100 companies that submitted applications for RIPH, only 10 companies received a quota from the Ministry of Agriculture. Meanwhile, seven of these companies are currently established PT.

"The issue of rent-seeking and political elite assistance in order to obtain RIPH or SPI is a necessity. If you still use a quota system or compulsory planting, that is only a presumption," Mulyadi explained.

PPBN also wanted President Jokowi to know about the non-transparency of the import of this onion. He emphasized that he was not anti-self-sufficiency, but the Ministry of Agriculture's self-sufficiency target for 2015-2019 was clearly not achieved. Even the same as rice, soybeans, corn, and meat whose imports are still high.

"Ironically, the new PT received RIPH of around 30,160 tons and 16,500 tons. So as long as using the self-sufficiency quota system, garlic is nonsense, ”he said again.

As is known, companies importing onions were previously required to plant domestic onions, as much as five percent of the quota they imported. This is regulated in MOA 38 of 2017, which was later revised to become MOA 39 of 2019.

There are also other strict requirements, including the bona fides of the importing company and the warehouse it owns. Includes ownership of warehouses and vehicles that meet the requirements. Mulyadi urged, the Ministry of Agriculture to open company profiles that have met the requirements.

Regarding the RIPH issue, Commissioner of the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU), Chandra Setiawan, said that his party is monitoring this. Regarding the granting and quota arrangement, KPPU emphasized that whoever submitted and fulfilled the requirements had to be seen.

According to Chandra, when an importing company meets the requirements, the RIPH must be issued at any time, and there is no need to wait. KPPU hopes that RIPH can be published at any time so that international prices cannot be manipulated by export-import players both at home and abroad.

"For example, if RIPH is scheduled to come out, it will be easy to play with, easy for producers to read," he said.

He also emphasized that if there are companies that feel discriminated against, KPPU is open to receiving reports. If there are no importers who report, this implies that there are no significant problems in the RIPH process.

Regarding the Ministry of Agriculture, KPPU hopes that it will no longer issue RIPH without using quotas. But based on the needs of business actors and comply with applicable regulations. Supposedly, he continued, it would not be easy for importers to obtain RIPH without meeting the requirements.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission IV DPR RI Andi Akmal Pasludin explained that at an open meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, the names of companies that received RIPH had been mentioned and the import quota. "It's only 100 thousand tons. Our need for consumption is 700 thousand tons, "he said.

He emphasized that there should not be imports outside the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, because it will hit local garlic. This PKS politician asked companies that got import quotas to really meet the requirements, including ownership of warehouses, transportation vehicles, and farming experience.

"Do not import companies just get a commitment, then not plant garlic," he explained.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that the provision of RIPH has been carried out openly. Director General of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture Prihasto Setyanto, after a hearing with Commission IV of the DPR, denied the accusation that RIPH was not transparent. Prihasto said that RIPH had been given openly.

He also denied that there was a conflict of interest in the selection of importers. However, he did not disclose the companies that were given RIPH with their respective quotas. "Who said less openly. No, just guesswork. Everything is open," he said.