State-owned Oil Palm Production Is Only 6 Percent In Indonesia, Erick Thohir Asks The Private Sector To Solve Domestic Cooking Oil Problems

Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of SOEs)

JAKARTA - The scarcity and high price of cooking oil in the Indonesian market is still happening today. Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir also invited private companies to solve the problem.

The reason, said Erick, is that state-owned companies are unable to meet the national demand for cooking oil. This is because it is related to production capacity.

"The need for cooking oil is 9 million, 6 million in bulk, 3 million branded, we only need 750,000. I really knock on the hearts of private parties whose production is much larger than us to help," said Erick on his official Instagram @erickthohir, quoted on Saturday , February 26.

Even so, Erick ensured that the Ministry of SOEs was committed to supporting the government's efforts to maintain stock availability and stabilize domestic cooking oil prices.

Erick said that through Food Holding (ID Food) and PTPN, BUMN had carried out cooking oil market operations in several areas. The total distribution was 4.3 million liters from early February to 21 February.

"Market operations carried out by SOEs are part of helping, not completing," he said.

Previously reported, Erick Thohir ensured that Holding Perkebunan Nusantara or PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) Group was the solution in the midst of high prices and scarce cooking oil in the market.

As is known, since the end of 2021 cooking oil has experienced a spike in prices. The government also decided to issue a cooking oil policy of one price, namely Rp. 14,000 per liter. However, the scarcity of cooking oil actually occurred after the policy was implemented.

Erick noted that the production level of PTPN Group in the palm oil industry only reached 6 percent. However, said Erick, the Ministry of SOEs will initiate so that people can still get cooking oil on the market. One of them is by distributing a quarter of the production for the availability of cooking oil for the community.

"The total production of PTPN in the palm oil industry is only 6 percent. But we still go down to try to help the community. Because it's a quarter of production, this time we encourage you to participate in helping the availability of cooking oil in the community," he said, quoted from his Instagram @ Erickthohir, Monday, February 21st.

In addition, Erick emphasized that all the capabilities of BUMN will be mobilized as a solution to the problems that are currently happening in the community.