Bulk Cooking Oil Still Scarce In Jember

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION VIA ANTARA

JEMBER - Bulk cooking oil is still rare and difficult to find in a number of traditional markets when entering the beginning of Ramadan in Jember Regency, East Java.

"Bulk cooking oil is a bit difficult to find in the market, whereas packaged cooking oil is widely available in traditional markets and modern shops," said Head of the Jember Industry and Trade Agency, Bambang Saputro, as quoted by Antara, Monday, April 4.

The price registrar at the Tanjung Jember Market did not find any traders selling bulk cooking oil because the stock of cooking oil in the traditional wholesale market was empty, so they did not include the price of the bulk cooking oil.

"Reports that we received in the last few days stated that the stock of bulk cooking oil was empty in several traditional markets such as Kreyongan Market, Gebang Market, Tanjung Market, Mangli Market, Kepatihan Market, and several traditional markets in the sub-district area," he said.

From reports of 24 traditional markets in Jember, he continued, there are only four markets for bulk cooking oil in the sub-district and even that is limited in availability, such as at Tanggul Market and Sukowono Market.

"There is a lot of packaged cooking oil on the market, but the average price is IDR 25 thousand to IDR 27 thousand per liter. This is what people are complaining about," he said.

Meanwhile, members of the Kencong Sector Police carried out a patrol to check the stock of bulk and packaged cooking oil in a number of shops in the local sub-district who found that the bulk cooking oil stock was indeed empty.

"Checking the stock of cooking oil in warehouses and shops that were targeted resulted in empty bulk cooking oil and only packaged cooking oil at a price of IDR 23.500 as many as 60 cartons," said Kencong Police Chief Adri Santoso.

According to him, this activity is a follow-up to the direction of the National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo who asked the regional police to monitor the scarcity of cooking oil in both modern and traditional markets.

He appealed to distributors and traders not to stockpile basic needs, especially cooking oil, and not to sell above the highest retail price (HET) as an effort to maintain price stability and supply stock so that there is no shortage.

"Never take the opportunity to accumulate cooking oil to take advantage of the current situation. If it is found, it will be processed according to the applicable law," he said.