"We have two cooking oil producers from Bekasi and Jakarta supplying cooking oil packages for the market operation in 11 cities and districts, which includes Bandung District," Industry and Trade Office Head Moh Arifin Soedjayana informed while reviewing the sale of cooking oil at Cileunyi Market in Bandung District on Monday.
The 11 cities and districts targeted by the market operation are Bandung City and District, Bogor City and District, Bekasi City and District, Sukabumi City, Depok City, Cirebon City, Karawang District, and Purwakarta District, he informed.
The provision of affordable cooking oil in public markets is in response to President Joko Widodo's latest instruction to the Trade Ministry to control cooking oil prices, which have recently recorded a significant increase, he explained.
The two cooking oil producers are ready to allocate 240 thousand one-liter cooking oil packages for the market operation, which will take place from Monday (January 10, 2022) until Friday (January 14), he informed.
"West Java will have around 240 thousand liters of cooking oil for the market operation that will take place from Monday until the end of this week," Soedjayana said.
The Trade and Industry Office has allowed the regional authorities the option of setting up distribution points for the provision of affordable cooking oil at sub-district offices or traditional markets, he said.
"Mostly, the market intervention is being conducted in cities with a high level of inflation. Our cooking oil is being sold for Rp14 thousand (US$0.98) and residents are capped to purchase up to two bottles," Soedjayana disclosed.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil had earlier opened the market operation program at Lembursitu Market in Sukabumi City last week, he said.
Around 2,400 affordable cooking oil bottles were sold at Lembursitu during the market operation, he added.
"We manage the transactions by a ticketing system to ensure health protocols can be enforced throughout the activities," the official said.
Though the intervention is not expected to immediately suppress the price of cooking oil from the current level of Rp19–20 thousand (US$1.33–1.4) per liter, the activity will alleviate residents' concern about basic needs, he added.
Related news: House Speaker asks government to control basic need prices
Related news: Low-priced cooking oil production to start this week: minister
Related news: Gov't to provide cooking oil at Rp14,000 per liter
Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
