The Expression Of Traders In Batang Traditional Market Who Still Sell Cooking Oil Price Of IDR 20,000 Per Liter: We Don't Want Loss

JAKARTA - Food traders in a number of traditional markets in Batang Regency, Central Java, are still selling cooking oil at the old price of IDR 20.000 per liter because they don't want to make a loss.

A number of basic food traders in Batang said that the stock of cooking oil sold by basic food traders was purchased when the commodity price soared so that it was sold by consumers at the old price.

"We don't want to lose even though the price of cooking oil has been sold in the market for IDR 14 thousand per liter. Yes, if it is sold for IDR 15 thousand per liter, it's okay even though the profit is very little," said basic food trader Rini, quoted from Antara, Friday, February 11.

She said that it had been a week since the stock of packaged cooking oil was still scarce, so consumers did not protest against the traders even though the price was sold for more than IDR 14 thousand per liter.

"Many consumers are looking for packaged cooking oil but they are out of stock. Therefore, consumers do not protest much even though cooking oil is sold for more than IDR 14 thousand per liter," she said.

The Head of the Trade Division of the Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and Small and Medium Enterprises (UKM) Office of Batang Regency, Endang Rahmawati, admitted that some traders still sell cooking oil at the old price.

"Most of the traders have already bought at high prices, in the end, if they are forced to sell according to the highest retail price (HET) they will definitely lose money," she said.

Endang believes that it won't take long to spend cooking oil stock at the old price because there are still many people who need this commodity.

"We will hold a market operation (OP) for cooking oil by implementing HET. Therefore, I estimate that in two weeks the old stock of cooking oil has run out and replaced with the stock of new cooking oil," she said.