Semarang, C Java (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has assured that stocks of bulk cooking oil available in the market are still sufficient amid the year-end holiday period, including cheap packaged bulk cooking oil Minyakita launched by the government.
Earlier, it was reported that a number of areas, such as East Java province, had experienced a shortage of Minyakita. In addition, the price of the product had risen above the highest retail price (HET) determined by the government of Rp14 thousand per liter.
"I have just visited a market; there were plenty of bulk (cooking) oil (packages), including Minyakita. The price of bulk (cooking) oil is Rp14,500 per kilogram (kg), while Minyakita costs Rp14 thousand per liter," the minister said here on Thursday.
He made the statement after “Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan's Casual Talk with Central Java Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).”
Before attending the event, he reviewed the prices and stocks of basic necessities at Sukorejo Market, Kendal district, Central Java province.
"(The price of) eggs was very cheap -- about Rp26 thousand per kg; chili was Rp16 thousand; chicken was Rp34 thousand; and onion was Rp22 thousand. The prices (of the products) in Central Java province are below the average national prices," he noted.
Still, Hasan said that the prices of a number of commodities in the province, such as soybeans, were quite high, however, they have now started to slide.
"Soybeans are still expensive, but it (their price) has declined from Rp15 thousand to Rp14 thousand. Now, it is about Rp13 thousand per kg," he noted.
He assured that the price of soybeans will fall further in early 2023 since the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) is expected to augment the supply of the commodity in January.
“Hopefully, in January 2023, when (the supply from) Bulog enters (the market), it (the price of soybeans) will become Rp11 thousand per kg," he added.