Reviewing Wilmar Factory Owned By Conglomerate Martua Sitorus, Khofifah Asks To Accelerate Distribution Of IDR 14,000 Cooking Oil To Modern Markets To Small Stalls

JAKARTA - The East Java Provincial Government has asked distributors to work together to speed up the distribution of subsidized cooking oil to all modern, retail, traditional markets, and small stalls.

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the scarcity of cooking oil after the determination of the highest retail price (HET) of IDR 14.000 was due to delays in delivery from the distributor.

"Apart from the high interest of the public to get HET cooking oil, it is also due to delays in the delivery of goods by distributors," she said, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, February 8.

The number one person in the East Java Provincial Government, together with Pangdam V/Brawijaya Major General Nurchahyanto, East Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General Pol Nico Afinta, visited the cooking oil factory owned by conglomerate Martua Sitorus, PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia Gresik, on Monday, February 7, to ensure supplies.

"The scarcity of cooking oil should not happen, considering that the people's cooking oil needs of East Java which reached 59 thousand tons per month could be met with a factory production capacity of 62 thousand tons per month. Or, there is a surplus of 3.000 tons," said Khofifah.

She admitted that there is currently a shortage of cooking oil, even when he went directly to modern retail stores, he found that many did not get a supply of cooking oil, even for a week.

Of course, she said, this condition made it more difficult for people who could not get cooking oil with the HET that had been set by the government.

As is known, the government has set the HET for cooking oil as of February 1, 2022. That is, per liter of bulk cooking oil is priced at IDR 11.500, simple packaged cooking oil at IDR 13.500, and premium packaged cooking oil at IDR 14.000.

Governor Khofifah emphasized the importance of supply chains in controlling cooking oil prices in the market. According to her, if there is one part that is stuck or problematic, it will disrupt the availability of goods on the market.

"I think we all have an obligation to be able to secure the policies of Mr. President Jokowi who want to strengthen people's purchasing power," she said.

It is hoped, continued Khofifah, that this entire process can provide supply chain certainty to the consumer level in accordance with the HET that has been determined by the Indonesian Minister of Trade.