'Old' Stock Is Relatively Large, Traders In Palembang Traditional Market Sell Cooking Oil Rp19-21 Thousand Per Liter

Sri, owner of the Sari Rasa shop at Perumnas Market Palembang, South Sumatra ANTARA

JAKARTA - A number of traditional market traders in the city of Palembang, South Sumatra, have not sold subsidized cooking oil because they still have old stock at a price above the Highest Retail Price (HET).

These traders have not been able to apply the cooking oil price of Rp. 14,000 per liter because they still have relatively large stocks of which the price ranges from Rp. 19,000 to Rp. 21,000 per liter.

Sri, a shop owner at Palembang's Perumnas Market, said that he still sells packaged cooking oil for the Sunco brand for IDR 21,000 per liter and Fortune IDR 19,000 per liter.

"There are still those who buy, even if a little. This is because Indomaret and Alfamart have sold cooking oil for Rp. 14,000 per liter," Sri said in Palembang, Antara, Sunday, January 23.

Sri said he could not lower the price as set by the government because he still had old stock, of which the purchase price at distributors for the Sunco brand was Rp. 20,000 per liter and Fortune Rp. 17,500 per liter. In fact, he was even offered a distributor to buy packaged cooking oil for the Fitri brand for Rp. 17,000 per liter on Friday, January 21.

For fear of losing money, Sri decided not to sell cooking oil for a while because there are cheaper ones in modern retail stores.

"Information from the Deputy Mayor (Fitrianti Agustinda) during a visit to this market, if on January 26 they still sell above IDR 14,000 per liter, a warning letter will be issued," said Sri.

Usman, a basic necessities trader at Palembang's Lemabang Market, said that until now he has not received a supply from a distributor for packaged cooking oil at a price of Rp. 14,000 per liter.

Currently, he sells stock of cooking oil purchased from distributors about two weeks ago, namely the Sriwijaya MM brand for IDR 17,000 per liter, Carmila for IDR 17,000 per liter, Fortune for IDR 19,000 per liter, Sunco for IDR 42,000 per 2 liters.

"We have not received cooking oil which costs Rp. 14,000 per liter," he said.

Previously, the government set a policy of "One Price" for cooking oil for packaging types of Rp. 14,000 per liter which took effect on January 19, 2022 at 00.01 WIB. This decision was made because the price of cooking oil jumped sharply from mid-December 2021, which was Rp. 25,000 per liter for this type of packaging.

Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Trade Office, Ahmad Rizali, said the government still gave a deadline of January 26, 2022 for traditional market traders to adjust the price of this cooking oil.

Meanwhile, in modern retail stores, it is immediately applicable after the government's decision, which is Rp. 14,000 per liter.

So far, the South Sumatra Provincial Government has received support from the All-Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) of South Sumatra and the South Sumatran Indonesian Street Vendors Association for this one-price cooking oil program.

In the official statement of the two associations signed by the Chair of the Regional Leadership Council of each association on January 20, 2022, it is also stated that the transition period given by the government for one week until January 26, 2021 will be used by traders for the price adjustment process.

In addition, traders who are members of this association are also committed that starting January 26, 2022, they have applied a price of Rp. 14,000 per liter for all brands of cooking oil.

“This means that if anyone sells more than Rp. 14,000 per liter, the government will be sanctioned. Regarding the technicalities, warning letters can be given to even stricter sanctions," he said.

Meanwhile, according to Antara's observation, at one of Palembang's modern stores in the Celentang area, Alfamart, the price of cooking oil for all brands is set at IDR 14,000 per liter.

Due to the high interest of buyers, local employees provide a quota of only one liter per person.

Our stock is distributed evenly to each store (Alfamart), but buyers can only buy one liter. This is also a form of our support to the government so that everyone gets a share,” said Rendra Satria, Branch Corporate Communication of PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya Palembang.