Minyakita Price Cap Increase Proposed, Zulhas Requests BPKP Intervention

The government is beginning to explore options for adjusting the maximum retail price (HET) for the people’s cooking oil brand Minyakita, after two years without changes. However, a final decision has not yet been made, as it awaits the results of a cross-ministerial and institutional study.

For information, the government previously set the HET for Minyakita at Rp14,500 per litre. However, in August 2024, it was raised to Rp15,700 per litre, and this remains in effect.

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas), emphasised that the price of Minyakita is still unchanged and has not been adjusted. He requested that the proposed price increase be calculated carefully before being decided in a special government meeting.

“This is Minyakita, which has indeed not been adjusted for a long time. Earlier, the Trade Minister (Budi Santoso) proposed an adjustment, but I asked for it to be calculated first, requesting BPKP (Financial and Development Supervisory Agency) and several related institutions to calculate it together, and then we will hold a special meeting. So, Minyakita (currently) has no price change,” said Zulhas during a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/4/2026).

Zulhas explained that Minyakita was initially introduced as a replacement for bulk cooking oil, packaged to be more hygienic, particularly for traditional market needs. However, demand has surged significantly over time.

This surge, he said, was triggered by the distribution of food aid in the last two months, with volumes reaching millions of litres. The government plans to adjust the aid scheme to avoid disrupting Minyakita supplies in the market.

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Budi Santoso acknowledged that adjusting the HET for Minyakita is one of the options being discussed by the government.

According to him, the HET of Rp15,700 per litre has been in place for two years and needs evaluation in line with current cost conditions.

“You see, it’s been a long time. What year was that? Two years, Rp15,700 per litre (HET for Minyakita). Everything must be adjusted,” said Budi when met after a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs office.

Nevertheless, Budi emphasised that the government has not yet calculated the potential price increase. The calculation process will be carried out jointly with various relevant parties.

“Not yet, we’ll study it later. Yes, later, from the meeting results earlier, we will study and recalculate. We’ll calculate together,” he added.

Director General of Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Iqbal Shoffan Shofwan, assured that the HET adjustment study will be conducted promptly, involving stakeholders.

He mentioned several key factors for consideration, from crude palm oil (CPO) prices, packaging costs, to distribution. The government is also open to price adjustments in both directions, not just increases but also decreases, according to market conditions.

“Because the last HET (for Minyakita) was in 2024. We can compare, back then what was the CPO price, now what is the CPO price. We’ll look at it, we’ll study it,” he concluded.