Government Prepares Special Fuel Price for Fishermen and Fisheries Businesses, Airlangga Reveals the Cause

JAKARTA – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said the government is still studying the provision of a special fuel price for fishermen and fisheries business operators, particularly for vessels of 30 gross tonnage (GT) up to 200 GT.

Regarding the matter, Airlangga acknowledged that he would first report on it to President Prabowo Subianto at a meeting to be held at the President’s residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java.

“I will report to the President first regarding the special price (of fuel for fishermen),” Airlangga said at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Monday, 13 July 2026.

He said that small fishermen with vessels below 30 GT have so far received subsidised fuel at Rp 6,800 per litre. However, the special fuel price to be granted this time is for fishermen in the category above 30 to 200 GT.

Airlangga explained that the plan to provide a special fuel price is being carried out by the government in response to world oil prices, which remain volatile.

“It is always (caused by oil prices), because the price (of oil) is too volatile,” he said.

It is understood that previously, the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, had explained that there had been requests for a special fuel price from fishermen and operators of large fishing vessels.

Consequently, Trenggono confirmed that the government is currently studying a fuel price specifically intended for fishermen with vessel capacities of 30 to 200 GT.

This is because fishermen with vessels of 30 GT to 200 GT have so far had to buy fuel at industrial prices.

“The most important thing is the wish of the larger fishermen whose (vessel capacity is) 30 GT to 200 GT, so that they can obtain the price they want. They proposed, they asked for it to be cheap, but of course we will have our calculations,” he said.