Minyakita No Longer Included in Government Food Assistance Packages, Says Trade Minister Budi

The Minister of Trade, Budi Santoso, stated that the people’s cooking oil, known as Minyakita, is no longer part of the government’s food assistance programme. Moving forward, the entire supply of Minyakita will be focused on meeting public needs through distribution in traditional markets.

“There is no longer Minyakita for food assistance. Everything will be distributed to traditional markets so that the public can easily obtain Minyakita,” Budi said during a press conference at the Ministry of Trade in Jakarta on Monday, 8 June 2026.

He added that the Ministry of Trade will continue to coordinate with producers, Perum Bulog, and ID Food to ensure that the distribution of Minyakita runs smoothly and remains easily accessible. Budi also emphasised that Minyakita is not a subsidised cooking oil, as it is a product derived from the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) scheme, which requires businesses to provide supplies for domestic needs.

Furthermore, Budi noted that future government food assistance could become more flexible by adjusting to market conditions and the need for commodity absorption. If an oversupply occurs, causing the price of a commodity to drop, the government may consider including that commodity in food assistance programmes. Budi cited eggs as an example, noting they could be used for food assistance when prices at the farmer level decline. A similar scheme could be applied to other commodities, such as chicken.

Moreover, the synergy between food assistance programmes and the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme creates opportunities to absorb various food commodities experiencing price pressure at the producer level. “The cooperation with MBG is not limited to eggs; basic necessities that experience price drops, such as chicken, can also be absorbed by MBG. The ecosystem is now functioning well,” he concluded.