Jakarta. The Trade Ministry has imposed sanctions on 66 businesses for various violations related to the sale and distribution of Minyakita, the government-subsidized cooking oil, Trade Minister Budi Santoso announced on Monday.

The sanctions follow intensified monitoring efforts to maintain supply and stabilize prices, particularly during Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday season. Violations ranged from licensing issues and mislabeling volume to inflating Minyakita prices, Budi said in Jakarta.

The Trade Ministry has been actively monitoring the supply and prices of food commodities, including Minyakita, not only ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr but also during the Christmas and New Year period.

“Since Christmas 2024 and New Year, we have ensured that supplies remain available and prices stay stable,” Budi said.

Previously, Moga Simatupang, the ministry’s Director General of Consumer Protection and Trade Order, revealed several key violations:

• Selling Minyakita above the government’s retail price cap.
• Retailers selling to other retailers instead of directly to consumers, unnecessarily lengthening the distribution chain and driving up prices.
• Distributors operating without proper business licenses or lacking a registered warehouse.
• Underfilling Minyakita packaging, with actual volumes smaller than the stated amount on labels.

The government has issued a range of sanctions, from written warnings to business suspensions and, in more serious cases, recommendations for business permit revocation.