Prevent Mafia Practices, Aprindo Limits The Purchase Of Sugar At Modern Retail

Sugar (photo: unsplash)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Aprindo) Roy Nicholas Mandey said that restrictions on the purchase of sugar in modern retail were carried out to prevent the existence of these commodity games.

It is known, a number of modern retailers are still limiting the purchase of sugar. For example, in Indomaret, one person is only allowed to buy 1 kilogram (kg) of sugar per day.

"This restriction does not mean it is empty. I want to underline it, yes. The restrictions do not mean that our goods are empty, but equitable and reduce speculators," Roy said at the Halalbihalal event at the Manado Spice, Jakarta, quoted Wednesday, May 8.

Roy revealed that the price of sugar in retail is stable, which is priced at Rp17,500 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of sugar in non-retail traders soared to reach Rp18,200 per kg.

The comparison of prices, said Roy, is feared to trigger the emergence of 'due' mafias. It is said that mafias could buy large amounts of sugar in retail, then resell it at high prices.

"Someone who has money, tengkulak, he buys it because he knows retail Rp17,500 he sells Rp18,000. Well, we don't want to harm the community," he said.

"For this reason, the restriction policy is not because it is empty or lacking, but the distribution of each community can enjoy at affordable prices," he continued.

Even so, Roy ensured that Aprindo had never initiated the problem of limiting sugar purchases. This is purely the policy of retail entrepreneurs themselves.

On the other hand, he said regulations regarding relaxing the reference price of consumption sugar in modern retail need to be extended. If, the sugar stock is scarce and the import procurement is late.

According to Roy, the government's work pattern is still like a fire department. The government will be confused about importing sugar when the sugar stock is running out.

"In our opinion, the government is still (wearing) patterns such as firefighters. There was a problem there, it was troublesome, especially since yesterday's sugar imports were said to be late," he said.

Previously, the National Food Agency (Bapanas) raised the government's reference price (HAP) for consumption sugar to Rp17,500 per kg until May 31, 2024.

Head of Badanas Arief Prasetyo Adi said the decision to increase the reference price of consumption sugar has been in effect since April 5. The goal is to provide sugar in Lebaran 2024 until the stock is sufficient in the market.

"We have given it ( sugar relaxation), so it is Rp. 17,500 per kg to 31 (May). Sugar, right, is not lost, now there is relaxation," he said when met at the National Food Agency Office, Jakarta, Thursday, April 18.

This policy was decided after the Food Supply and Price Stabilization Coordination Meeting (SPHP) of Sugar Consumption across ministries/agencies and related stakeholders on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

Then, following the Letter of the Deputy for Food Availability and Stabilization Number: 1105/TS.02.02/B/11/2023 dated November 3, 2023 concerning Consumption Sugar Price Adjustments at the Consumer Level.