Kerosene crisis hits Purbalingga<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purbalingga<\/p>\n
It is difficult at present to buy kerosene in the Central Java
\nregency of Purbalingga; if it is available at certain stalls or
\nshops, the price has soared, to Rp 1,000 per liter.<\/p>\n
Villagers in Kemangkon subdistrict have been complaining about
\nthe kerosene shortage for a week, and some of them had to pay a
\nvery high price to get the heating oil.<\/p>\n
Similar shortages also hit other subdistricts in Purbalingga,
\nsuch as Karangreja and Bobotsari.<\/p>\n
\"For several days I have been unable to get any kerosene
\nbecause stalls in Kemangkon have reserved a quota for their
\nregular customers. Consequently, I have had to queue for it,\"
\nsaid Sulastri, a 38-year-old woman resident from Kedung Legok
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
Slamet, a vendor in Kemangkon, said he had sold kerosene at Rp
\n900 per liter, and added that the retail price was cheaper than
\nthat in other villages, where it had increased by up to Rp 1,000.
\nThe official price of kerosene is from Rp 550 to Rp 600 per
\nliter.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know why kerosene is so expensive now. Frankly
\nspeaking, the supply has become sluggish. Maybe it's because the
\nIdul Fitri holiday is coming up, I don't know,\" he said.<\/p>\n
An assistant to the head of the Purbalingga administration on
\neconomic development affairs, S.S. Hetami, confirmed the shortage
\nof kerosene in several subdistricts there. \"I have received many
\nreports about that, so we shall request an additional supply of
\nkerosene for Purbalingga regency.\"<\/p>\n
He said his office had written to oil and gas dealers in
\nCentral Java, asking them to increase the distribution of
\nkerosene to the regency by up to 160,000 kiloliters per month.<\/p>\n
\"Previously, we only received a quota of 120,000 kiloliters.
\nAfter we worked it out, the supply of kerosene to Purbalingga
\nseemed to be short by 40,000 kiloliters,\" Hetami said.<\/p>\n
He said that shortages had arisen because the demand for
\nkerosene had risen ahead of the Idul Fitri celebrations, even
\nthough the supply had been increased.<\/p>\n
Secretary of the Banyumas oil and gas agency Trismiyanti said
\nher office had started to provide an increased supply of kerosene
\nto Purbalingga and to the other neighboring regencies,
\nBanjarnegara and Cilacap.<\/p>\n
The additional supplies were provided through \"market
\noperations\" that started on Monday, she added.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for state oil company Pertamina based in Cilacap M.
\nBanser said his firm would optimize fuel production with an
\nincrease of up to 100 percent ahead of the Idul Fitri, Christmas
\nand New Year holidays.<\/p>\n
\"Two processing units will operate fully, to produce up to
\n348,000 barrels of kerosene per day,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kerosene-crisis-hits-purbalingga-1447893297",
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