PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Bandung City Government (Pemkot) together with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) monitored the prices and availability of basic necessities at the Sederhana Market, Monday (20/4/2026).

During the monitoring, the Bandung City Government found that the price of MinyaKita cooking oil on the market had increased to Rp. 21,000 per liter, especially outside the official distribution network.

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan explained that this condition occurs because the current MinyaKita distribution system is divided into two mechanisms, namely 30 percent through Perum Bulog and 70 percent through the market mechanism.

"Distribution through Bulog remains at the Highest Retail Price (HET) of Rp15,700 per liter and is available at authorized retail partners marked with posters," he said.

He explained that the public can obtain the highest retail price (HET) if they purchase through Bulog's partner network. However, outside of this network, prices follow market dynamics and depend on the distributor.

"We've seen in the field that prices can vary between Rp19,000 and Rp21,000 per liter, as they follow market mechanisms," he said.

The Bandung City Government believes that Bulog's limited distribution capacity means that price stabilization efforts are less than optimal, especially when there are disruptions to free market distribution.

Furthermore, dialogues with traders revealed that there are still obstacles to becoming Bulog partners. These obstacles include administrative issues and the requirement to pay purchase orders (POs) in cash, which are considered burdensome for small traders.

In response to this situation, the Bandung City Government will deploy officers to help simplify the administrative process for traders to become Bulog partners.

On the other hand, distribution supervision is also strengthened through coordination with the Food Task Force, the police, and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to ensure that no hoarding occurs.

"Monitoring operations are ongoing to ensure smooth supply and no hoarding. Any violations discovered will be dealt with firmly by law enforcement," he stressed.

Based on field data, the demand for cooking oil in Bandung City reaches approximately 13,500 cartons per week. Of this, approximately 4,500 cartons, or 30 percent, are supplied by Bulog, while the remainder is met through free market distributors.

In addition to cooking oil, the Bandung City Government is also monitoring other commodities. Rice prices remain relatively stable, with prices consistent across various sales outlets.

However, some commodities such as sugar and soybeans experienced price increases due to global production and distribution factors.

The Bandung City Government ensures that it will continue to monitor prices regularly to maintain price stability and the availability of basic necessities. (Bandung City Communications and Information Office/rka)