Minister of Agriculture Amran said that the supervision of the Food HET was tightened for price stability.

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that the supervision of the highest retail price (HET) of food was tightened to maintain price stability and public tranquility during the Christmas and New Year 2025/2026 celebrations.

Furthermore, Amran reminded business actors not to raise prices because all major commodities have HET as a national reference.

"If anyone (sells food) beyond HET, it will be dealt with," said Amran, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 23.

He emphasized that the tightening of supervision was carried out to protect people's purchasing power while ensuring that food distribution was fair and affordable during the year-end holiday period.

Amran revealed that in the latest government supervision, two companies were found to be selling cooking oil above HET, so a thorough inspection was carried out up to the upstream level.

The inspection includes tracing the supply chain from the manufacturer's distributor to the factory to ensure that violations can be clearly and objectively identified.

He said that all levels of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Food Agency had been deployed to the field to strengthen supervision and accelerate follow-up on violations.

Amran emphasized that the practice of raising prices ahead of Christmas and New Year was very burdensome for the community and was not in line with the spirit of maintaining national food stability.

According to him, Indonesia as the world's largest producer of cooking oil has the ability to maintain domestic supply and prices so that they remain reasonable and in favor of consumers.

Therefore, he emphasized that price violations were carried out by a small number of entrepreneurs while the majority of business actors remained obedient and contributed positively to the economy.

The Food Task Force is currently actively conducting field inspections as a form of the government's seriousness in enforcing the rules for strategic national food prices.

Business actors who are proven to sell food above HET can be subject to criminal sanctions up to revocation of business permits in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations.

Enforcement of the rules is carried out fairly and measured so as not to interfere with the business climate while providing a deterrent effect for violators of the price policy.

With this strict supervision, the government is optimistic that the community's food needs during Christmas and New Year can be met safely, affordably, and sustainably.

"Facing Christmas and New Year, we once again appeal to all entrepreneurs not to raise prices. Especially for rice, cooking oil, chicken, and eggs, there is already a HET," said Amran.