Tighten Supervision During Christmas-New Year 2026, Mentan Ensures Action on Food Sellers Above HET

Minister of Agriculture and Head of the National Food Agency Andi Amran Sulaiman (center), Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono (fourth from left), accompanied by other officials provide information to the media in Jakarta, Monday (22/12/2025). ANTARA/Harianto

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture 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 2025 and New Year 2026 celebrations.

Amran said that all strategic food commodities that have HET must be obeyed by business actors. The government will not hesitate to take action against parties who sell food above these provisions.

"If anyone sells beyond HET, it will be dealt with," said Amran after the Ministry of Agriculture's Public Information Disclosure activity in Jakarta, Monday, December 22.

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

In the latest supervision, said Amran, the government found two companies selling cooking oil above HET. The findings were immediately followed up with a thorough examination up to the upstream level.

The inspection includes tracing the supply chain from distributors, manufacturers, to factories, to ensure that violations can be identified objectively and transparently.

Amran 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 the findings of violations.

According to him, the practice of raising food prices ahead of Christmas and New Year is very burdensome for the community and is not in line with the spirit of maintaining national food stability.

He emphasized that Indonesia as one of the largest producers of cooking oil in the world has a strong ability to maintain the availability of supply and price stability in the country.

"This price violation is only carried out by a small number of entrepreneurs. The majority of business actors remain obedient and contribute positively to the national economy," he said.

Currently, the Food Task Force continues to actively conduct field inspections as a form of the government's seriousness in enforcing strategic food price rules.

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.

The 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 tightened 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 again appeal to all entrepreneurs not to raise prices. Especially rice, cooking oil, chicken, and eggs, there is already a HET," said Amran.