Food Task Force and National Food Agency Intensify Oversight of Cooking Oil and Rice
South Sulawesi’s commitment to maintaining food stability has been strengthened further. The Task Force for Enforcement of Food Price, Security and Quality Violations (Satgas Saber Pangan) of South Sulawesi Province held a strategic coordination meeting with the National Food Agency (Bapanas) at the South Sulawesi Regional Police Headquarters on Sunday, 1 March.
The meeting served as a cross-sectoral consolidation forum to ensure that food supplies remain safe, affordable, and of good quality, attended by Bapanas Deputy for Dietary Diversification and Food Security Andriko Noto Susanto and Director of Surveillance for Implementation of Food Safety and Quality Standards Brigadier General Hermawan.
The Director of Special Criminal Investigation at South Sulawesi Regional Police and Coordinator of the Food Task Force for South Sulawesi, Senior Commissioner Andri Ananta Yudhistira, emphasised the importance of strict oversight of strategic commodities.
He highlighted the dominance of private enterprises in the cooking oil industry, which accounts for 65 per cent of the market, whilst state-owned enterprises manage only 35 per cent.
“This 65 per cent figure is our collective challenge. We must strengthen oversight to ensure that distribution gaps are not exploited by unscrupulous actors to manipulate prices or hoard supplies,” Andri stated firmly.
Beyond cooking oil, chilli commodities also warranted attention. Andri revealed that chilli supplies from Enrekang Regency have successfully been delivered to Jakarta through effective coordination with Bapanas, demonstrating South Sulawesi’s contribution to national food security whilst maintaining price stability across regions.
Andriko Noto Susanto commended the South Sulawesi Provincial Government for its responsive and progressive approach in supporting food oversight programmes. He emphasised the importance of a comprehensive food oversight roadmap, including animal health sectors.
“There must be no compromises with food safety. Sensitive issues such as unlawful meat mixed with halal meat must be rigorously monitored. There is no room for compromise,” Andriko stated firmly.
He also underscored the vital role of Perum Bulog, Indonesia’s state logistics company, in mobilising commodities such as rice and cooking oil, and requested the Communication and Information Office to lead efforts in providing accurate information to prevent public panic.
Commodities prioritised for oversight include rice, maize, meat, eggs, chillies, cooking oil, sugar, and wheat flour. Andriko asserted that any price increases outside stipulated limits, particularly for subsidised commodities, would trigger immediate strict action.
However, the meeting noted that several commodities have seen their prices rise above the maximum retail price (HET) and government reference price (HAP) across nearly all districts and cities in South Sulawesi.
These commodities include red onions, garlic, red bird’s eye chillies, sugar, cooking oil, and chicken eggs, with prices higher by between 3 and 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Provincial Food Security Agency, M. Ilyas, stated that the South Sulawesi Provincial Government had moved swiftly in issuing a decision letter concerning food price controls.
This includes increasing the number of affordable food kiosks across all districts and cities and encouraging regents to ensure that rice distribution through the Food Supply and Price Stabilisation Programme (SPHP) reaches the sub-district level.
Brigadier General Hermawan similarly highlighted fraudulent practices such as repackaging medium-grade rice as premium or selling counterfeit rice without clear information.
“Maximum retail prices (HET), rice classifications, brand names, quality grades, and producer addresses must be clearly stated. This is to protect the public from speculators seeking only to make excessive profits,” Hermawan stated firmly.
The meeting, according to him, aimed to strengthen inter-agency synergy, align oversight steps and strategies, particularly ahead of periods of increased public demand.
The meeting was attended by leaders of vertical agencies and relevant departments, including the heads of the Trade Agency, Food Crop Agency, Investment and One-Stop Service Agency, Livestock and Animal Health Agency, the Bulog regional office for South and West Sulawesi, the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency, representatives from Bank Indonesia, and the Statistics Agency.