Hence, before Monday (April 4), most of the public demand for cooking oil could be met.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Some 28 thousand tons of bulk cooking oil have been distributed to the market in stages following issuance of a ministerial decree regarding cooking oil provision for public and micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs).
"Industries have been prepared, and they have started the distribution," Director General of Agri-Industry at the Industry Ministry Putu Juli Ardika stated here on Wednesday.
Currently, Ardika noted that some 28 thousand tons of cooking oil had been distributed to the market.
He expressed optimism that the supply of bulk cooking oil would continue to increase in the next few days.
"Hence, before Monday (April 4), most of the public demand for cooking oil could be met," Ardika added.
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The Industry Minister Decree No 8 of 2022 was issued on March 22, 2022. It regulates the process for the subsidized palm cooking oil business, from its registration, production, and distribution to its supervision.
Meanwhile, Mukhtarudin, a legislator of the House of Representatives' commission VI overseeing industry, investment and business competition, stated that the new regulation on bulk palm cooking oil is part of the government's effort to re-organize the commodity's trading management.
"The government realizes that the upstream sector must be given space to participate in solving the cooking oil problem. That is why the Ministry of Industry is involved," he emphasized.
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The government has revised the policy related to bulk palm cooking oil, from a trade-based policy to an industry-based policy.
The government has found that the trade-based bulk cooking oil policy proved ineffective in maintaining the supply. The price of palm cooking oil for the community, micro-enterprises, and small businesses is also unstable.
With industry-based policies, the government hopes to better regulate raw materials, production, and distribution of bulk cooking oil. Thus, the supply is always available at a price that matches the retail ceiling price (HET).
The industry-based policy is also strengthened by the use of digital technology for the Bulk Cooking Oil Information System (Simirah). The system is expected to tighten management and supervision.
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Translator: Sella P Gareta, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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