Despite the price of bulk cooking oil in most regions having been under the highest retail price, the regional government's monitoring role remains essential
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan encouraged municipal authorities to monitor implementation of the Trade Ministry's policies on maintaining the stability of basic needs and food prices in respective jurisdictions.

"Despite the price of bulk cooking oil in most regions having been under the highest retail price, the regional government's monitoring role remains essential," the minister noted in his statement here, Wednesday.

Hasan's statement was delivered while receiving Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Municipalities (Apeksi) Executive Council Bima Arya at the ministry office.

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The minister said that formidable synergy between the ministry and municipal authorities is paramount to ensure policies in the trade sector can be implemented thoroughly.

Meanwhile, the Apeksi chairman stated that new policies to adjust to the current condition must be conceived by the central government, particularly as relevant trade minister regulations on the formation of the reference price of basic needs on the farmer and consumer levels are no longer followed.

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Moreover, Arya, also the current mayor of Bogor, suggested research institutes and academics to become involved in the production of affordable and quality animal feed to reduce domestic farmers' dependence on imported animal feed to maintain the stability of chicken meat prices.

State apparatus investigators are also needed in cities and districts to expedite the investigation into violations in the trade sector, he emphasized.

During the meeting with the minister, Arya also invited Hasan to attend Apeksi's national working meeting in Padang, West Sumatra, on August 7-10, 2022.

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Translator: Sella Panduarsa G, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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