South Kalimantan Provincial Government Holds Cooking Oil Market Operations In Remote Areas, Ensures Price Is IDR 14,000/Liter

The Head of Industry and Trade of the South Kalimantan Provincial Government, Birhasani, inspects the operation of the cooking oil market. (AMONG)

KALSEL - The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan (Kalsel) has again held cooking oil operations in remote areas or far from modern shopping centers. This step is an effort to equalize the one-price cooking oil policy, which is Rp. 14 thousand per liter.

Head of the Trade Office of the South Kalimantan Provincial Government, Birhasani, said that although the central government had launched the first stage of cooking oil subsidies through modern retail, it would continue its market operation program.

This is done, because not all areas, especially those in rural or remote areas, have modern retail, so the price of cooking oil in the traditional market is still high.

"Residents in rural areas cannot be reached by modern retailers, so the price of cooking oil, especially in traditional markets, is still not evenly distributed," he said in Banjarmasin as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, January 26.

The cheap market, apart from being held in several regencies in South Kalimantan, was also held in Banjarmasin City, as has been held in Basirih Village, Banjarmasin City.

Hundreds of residents in the area are willing to queue to get cooking oil for Rp. 14,000 at a cheap market, which was held in collaboration with the South Kalimantan Provincial Government and the Banjarmasin City Trade Office with oil producers. According to Birhasani, the market operation was carried out in order to face the transition period between old and new capital.

Many traders still sell cooking oil at high prices, because their purchasing capital is also quite high.

Head of the Banjarmasin City Trade and Industry Service Ichrom M Tezar added that market operations in Banjarmasin City had been carried out in three locations with a quota of 1200 liters.

In this market operation, each resident is limited to a maximum of two liters, so that all residents can get a share.

According to Tezar, in February 2022, his party together with the Provincial Disperindag and PKK Banjarmasin, as well as cooking oil distributors, will again hold a cheap market bazaar in the Kelayan Tengah area.

"God willing, specifically in Central Kelayan, 1200 liters of cooking oil will be prepared, we will do our best," he said.

One of the residents of Yuli admitted that he was grateful and felt very helped by the operation of this cooking oil market.

Previously, he bought cooking oil for Rp. 19 thousand per liter, which he used for three days.

"The market operation is planned to continue until the one-price policy from the central government has been evenly distributed to traditional markets," he said.

In this second stage of market operation, his party prepared as much as 20 thousand liters of cooking oil, while for the first stage which was held at the end of 2021, his party spent around 30 thousand liters of cooking oil.