JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the DPR from the PPP faction, Achmad Baidowi, suspects that hoarding practices have led to a shortage of cooking oil in the market lately. This is because cooking oil is currently available at various stores at exorbitant prices after the government revoked the highest retail price (HET) for cooking oil.
"Supplies of cooking oil are immediately available in various shops, even with prices reaching Rp. 25,000, this means that someone is deliberately holding back supplies, aka hoarding, waiting for the HET to be revoked before the supply is issued," Baidowi said in a written statement, Thursday, March 17.
The secretary of the DPR's PPP faction said that the availability of cooking oil after the revocation of the HET proved that there were no problems from the supply side of Migor. However, the distribution has stalled due to hoarding practices.
Therefore, he asked the authorities to thoroughly investigate the practice of hoarding cooking oil which resulted in a shortage.
"The police and the food task force must track which distribution points suddenly become abundant one day after the announcement of HET was revoked," said Baidowi.
The East Java legislator reminded the government that the high demand for cooking oil ahead of the month of Ramadan was actually being used by palm oil conglomerates to reap massive profits. He asked the government not to release the price of packaged cooking oil to the free market.
"Because many people have mediocre income who consume packaged cooking oil, including food stalls," he concluded.
It is known that the latest highest retail price for cooking oil after the HET for packaged cooking oil subsidies was revoked, took effect on Wednesday, March 16. Previously, the government met with cooking oil producers. During the meeting, several policies were taken.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that now the price of cooking oil such as simple and premium packaging can adjust to the economic value.
This was done after the government lifted packaged cooking oil subsidies. This is done to make cooking oil easy to find in modern and traditional markets.
"For that, the Chief of Police will guarantee the availability and smooth supply of supplies," said Airlangga, Wednesday, March 16.
However, he revealed that the Government will distribute subsidies for bulk cooking oil so that the price becomes Rp. 14 thousand per liter.
"The government has decided that it will subsidize bulk palm oil at Rp. 14,000 per liter and the subsidy will be based on funds from BPDP-KS," explained Airlangga.
Airlangga explained that the subsidy for bulk cooking oil was given because it took into account the current situation and conditions regarding the current distribution of cooking oil.
"The government pays attention to the distribution situation and circumstances of the distribution of cooking oil and pays attention to the global situation and conditions where prices are rising, including vegetable oil and including palm oil," he said.
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