Trade Minister Lutfi Must Know, West Jakarta Aries Market Traders Difficult To Get Cooking Oil Supply: Usually Tropical, Bimoli, Fortune, Sania, None Now

Trader at Aries Market, West Jakarta. (Mary Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Cooking oil is still difficult to find in the market. In fact, traders in Aries Market, West Jakarta also complained about the difficulty of getting supplies of cooking oil for resale. This is in contrast to the statement of the Minister of Trade, Muhammad Lutfi that the supply of cooking oil is abundant.

One trader who did not want to be named said that he had not sold palm cooking oil for a month. Because, he did not get a supply of cooking oil from the agent where he bought it.

"It's rare now. Oil is very difficult. Usually there are Tropical, Bimoli, Fortune, Sania, now that's no longer there. There is cooking oil out (with) new names, but I don't sell it," he told VOI, when found at Aries Market, West Jakarta, Tuesday, March 15.

Meanwhile, another trader who did not want to be named also admitted that he did not have any stock of palm cooking oil to sell. Instead, he sells corn cooking oil at a price of Rp. 90 thousand per two liters.

"There is Barco (coconut oil) and CCO (corn oil). If palm oil is empty, Bimoli has not been around for a long time," he said.

Oil price above HET

The VOI team was also successful in finding traders selling palm cooking oil with the Sania trademark at Aries Market, West Jakarta. However, the price offered is still much higher than the highest retail price (HET) set by the Ministry of Trade.

The Ministry of Trade has set the highest retail price (HET) for cooking oil, namely the price of bulk cooking oil at Rp. 11,500 per liter, the price of simple packaged cooking oil at Rp. 13,500 per liter, and the price of premium packaged cooking oil at Rp. 14,000 per liter.

Ius said the price of the oil he sold did not follow the government's HET. This is because the price from the agent, to be precise, to take cooking oil has reached Rp. 16,000 per liter.

"There is cooking oil, sell it. The price is Rp. 18,000 thousand per liter. If two liters are Rp. 35,000 thousand. Not participating in the government HET. From agents, Rp. 30,000 thousand per two liters. thousand. Different brands, different prices," he said.

Ius said he used to get oil supplies from oil agents in the Tangerang area, Banten. The supplies obtained are usually 10 boxes. Each cardboard contains 6 packages for the size of two liters of cooking oil, while 12 are for one liter packages.

"The stock is now gone. Only this is left. Goods come sometimes once a week. Sometimes every two weeks. It's uncertain, their stock is limited," said Ius.

They say the oil stock is abundant and even muddy

The Ministry of Trade conveyed that the supply of cooking oil in the market should be abundant. So many, like the stock of cooking oil in the market is muddy. This answers the complaints of people who have difficulty getting cooking oil.

Minister of Trade (Mendag) Muhammad Lutfi said the stock was the result of a domestic market obligation (DMO) policy. In fact, said Lutfi, the distribution of cooking oil has been running in 356 districts/cities in Indonesia.

"If we look at the numbers on the field, it shouldn't be wet anymore, but muddy," Lutfi said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, March 9.

Lutfi said that from February 14 to March 8 2022, the total exports of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives reached 2,771,294 tons and there were 126 export issuances from 56 exporters.

Meanwhile, the total DMO collected was 573,890 tons. Meanwhile, the total DMO distributed was 415,787 tons. Distribution in the form of bulk cooking oil and packaged cooking oil to the market.

"The distribution of DMO has exceeded the estimated consumption needs for one month which reached 327,321 tons," he said.

According to data held by Lutfi, West Java is the province with the largest distribution of cooking oil, which is 73.6 million liters. Then followed by East Java about 71.4 million liters. Then, DKI Jakarta 57.8 million liters. North Sumatra 49.9 million liters and Central Java 42.9 million liters.

By district/city, North Jakarta is the largest with a stock of 33.4 million liters. Then, followed by Bekasi City with 30 million liters, Medan with 20 million liters, Surabaya with 19 liters and West Java with 14.9 million liters.

"Indeed, the supply is abundant," he said.