"One of them is for bulk cooking oil. The traders sell it at Rp11,700 per liter, and the price is below the retail price ceiling (HET) set by the government, which is Rp14 thousand per liter," he informed on the sidelines of an inspection of Legi Market here on Saturday.
Sambuaga said he hoped that the matching of the price of cooking oil with HET can be followed by more markets.
"This is in accordance with President Joko Widodo's direction so that bulk cooking oil is always available and the public can buy it at an affordable price," he added.
Further, the prices of other commodities, such as shallots, garlic, and chilis, are also relatively stable. Shallots are priced at Rp45 thousand per kilogram and garlic at Rp17 thousand per kilogram, he noted.
Meanwhile, curly red chilis are priced at Rp45 thousand per kilogram, large red chilis at Rp45 thousand per kilogram, and red bird's eye chilis at Rp33 thousand per kilogram.
Regarding the availability of basic commodities until the end of the year, he affirmed that the ministry is striving to ensure that the community's needs are fulfilled.
"The most important thing is that we maintain the availability of people's basic needs. Do not let the availability experience problems. After I checked earlier, the stock is safe," he remarked.
In addition, he also underlined the importance of monitoring the distribution of basic commodities. The ministry is making efforts to ensure that there are no obstacles in the distribution.
"We are maintaining smooth distribution, supply chain, and, of course, coordinating with local governments and other stakeholders," the deputy minister said.
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Translator: Aris Wasita, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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