Gov’t to Reopen Cooking Oil Export Starting May 23
President Joko Widodo
The Government has announced that it will lift cooking oil export ban starting on upcoming Monday (05/23). The decision was made by the Government considering the current supply and price of cooking oil as well as the workers and farmers in the palm oil industry.
The statement was made by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (05/19).
“Based on the current supply and price of cooking oil and considering that there are 17 million workers in the palm oil industry including farmers, workers, and other supporting staffs, I have decided to reopen cooking oil export on Monday, May 23, 2022,” President Jokowi said.
Although the export will immediately be reopened, the President emphasized that the Government will continue to strictly supervise and monitor the market to ensure the adequate supply is being met with affordable prices in all over Indonesia.
The Head of State further said that the national supply for bulk cooking oil is approximately 194,000 tons per month. Before the export ban, on March 2022, the supply reached 64,500 tons, and since the export ban, on April 2022, it reached over 211,000 tons per month, adding that, the supply kept improving and surpassed Indonesia’s monthly national supply for bulk cooking oil.
In addition, President Jokowi said that there was a decrease in the national average price of cooking oil. Before the export ban in April 2022, the national average price of bulk cooking oil reached around Rp19,800, and then after the export ban, the national average price dropped to Rp17,200 -Rp17,600.
“The increase in supply and decrease in price are joint efforts of us including the Government, State-Owned Enterprises, and private sectors even though there are currently bulk cooking oil prices in a number of regions remain high, but I believe that they will be more affordable as we have set before in a couple of weeks ahead considering the increase in supply,” the President added.
On this occasion, President Jokowi also expressed his gratitude to all palm oil farmers for their understanding and support to the Government’s policies made for the benefit to the wider community.
Furthermore, the President continued that the Government will also make improvements on procedures and regulations at the Palm Oil Support Fund Agency (BPDPKS) so that the agency can continue to be more adaptive in facing the dynamics of domestic oil supply and prices in order to protect and fulfill community’s needs.
“Related to allegations of violations and fraud in the distribution and production of cooking oil, I have ordered law enforcement institutions to continue carrying out investigations and imposing law enforcement measures for the perpetrators. I do not let anyone to manipulate things whose impact are making people in difficult condition and harming people,” he remarked. (TGH/UN) (AP/LW)
