InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) has reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the distribution of essential goods, particularly the MINYAKITA cooking oil brand. This initiative aims to protect consumers from potential fraud and ensure that the highest retail price (HET) remains stable.
Trade Minister Budi Santoso stated that the ministry is collaborating with the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and relevant parties to address allegations of irregularities by MINYAKITA producers. Currently, Kemendag and police are investigating several producers suspected of violations.
“We are conducting intensive monitoring and following up on public reports regarding alleged measurement reductions and distribution abuses of MINYAKITA. We will not hesitate to take firm action against violators,” Budi said after attending a Cross-Sectoral Coordination Meeting in Jakarta on Monday.
During an inspection on March 7, 2025, Kemendag found indications of violations by PT AEGA located in Depok. However, when the monitoring team arrived, the company had closed and relocated its operations.
“Following reports from the public, our team immediately checked the field. We found indications of measurement reduction practices, and MINYAKITA products that did not meet standards are being withdrawn from circulation,” Budi emphasized, as quoted from an official statement by InfoSAWIT on Wednesday (March 12, 2025).
A similar case was previously uncovered on January 24, 2025, when Kemendag exposed fraud by PT NNI in the Mauk area of Tangerang. Together with the Food Task Force, Polri, TNI, and local government, Kemendag took decisive action by sealing the company, preventing it from operating.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Consumer Protection and Trade Order, Moga Simatupang, explained that Kemendag has increased oversight across the entire MINYAKITA distribution chain, from producers to repackers, distributors, and retailers in both traditional and modern markets.
According to Moga, one of the revealed violation methods is the use of non-DMO (Domestic Market Obligation) cooking oil as raw material for MINYAKITA. This practice leads producers to reduce packaging volume to cover production costs and raise selling prices above the HET.
“Some repackers are taking advantage of the increased demand for MINYAKITA, especially during Ramadan and Idulfitri 2025, to gain more profit through improper means,” Moga stated.
Kemendag has prepared strict sanctions for businesses proven to violate regulations. These sanctions include written warnings, product withdrawals from circulation, temporary business activity suspensions, warehouse closures, fines, and even business license revocations. Kemendag is also collaborating with Bareskrim Polri to take action against businesses suspected of legal violations.
MINYAKITA is a cooking oil produced under the DMO policy scheme, which mandates palm oil producers to allocate a portion of their production for domestic needs. The DMO is regulated under the Minister of Trade Regulation No. 18 of 2024 concerning Packaged Palm Oil and the Management of People's Cooking Oil, officially enacted on August 14, 2024. Through this policy, the government ensures that the public receives cooking oil at affordable prices.
With tighter oversight, it is hoped that the distribution of MINYAKITA will comply with regulations and not harm consumers. The government urges the public to report any suspected irregularities in the distribution of this subsidized cooking oil. (T2)
