Coordinating Minister Airlangga Blusukan To Surabaya Wonokromo Market Escort Cooking Oil Operation Rp14,000

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Coordinating Ministry for the Economy)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto today conducted a direct review of the implementation of market operations at Wonokromo Market, in the city of Surabaya.

According to him, the market operation carried out is a real step taken by the government by involving various stakeholders to ensure food availability for the community.

"In this market operation, we also check food prices to support government policies, especially in reducing the price of cooking oil to 14,000 rupiah. The market operation this time is also equipped with other commodities such as rice, eggs, chilies, and onions, including sugar," he said as reported by the official website, Thursday, January 13.

Furthermore, Airlangga revealed a number of stakeholders involved in the market operation, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Perum BULOG for the East Java Region, the Department of Agriculture and Food Crops of East Java Province, PT Sinar Mas, PT Wilmar, PT Wings, and PT Best.

"Hopefully next week there will be more oil at a price of Rp. 14,000 per liter," he said.

In addition to maintaining food price stability, the government is also encouraging market digitization by using non-cash transactions in traditional markets using the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) from Bank Indonesia. This strategy is said to make transactions faster and at the same time overcome the spread of the COVID-19 virus through physical contact.

For information, the involvement of Coordinating Minister Airlangga in market operations is the umpteenth time after previously visiting the Phula Kerti People's Market, Denpasar and Cileungsi Market in Bogor Regency.

"The policy to ensure the availability of food supplies and price stability for the entire community remains one of the main priorities of the government in early 2022," he said.

Also present on the occasion were Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus, Deputy Governor of East Java Emil Elestianto Dardak, Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi, and BNI Institutional Director Sis Apik Wijayanto.

"In the midst of the current increase in the prices of several foodstuffs such as rice, garlic, cooking oil, and broiler meat, the government remains committed to taking anticipatory steps to ensure the availability of food ingredients and keep food prices affordable for the community," he concluded. Airlangga.