Dewi Kurniawati, Jakarta – Indonesia's anti-monopoly agency (KPPU) ordered seven cooking oil companies on Friday to pay fines of up to over $2 million each for restricting sales amid scarce supplies last year.
KPPU launched an investigation into the companies' conduct last year after surging prices of cooking oil forced the Indonesian government to implement a temporary cap on retail prices of cooking oil and later a three-week export ban on palm oil, which is used as cooking oil in Indonesia.
Indonesia is the world's biggest producer of palm oil.
Seven out of 27 companies in the case were found guilty of limiting their brands' distribution of cooking oil while the retail price cap was in place in early 2022, said Dinni Melanie, who chaired the KPPU panel.
Salim Ivomas, Wilmar and Musim Mas did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
These companies were ordered to pay fines ranging from 1 billion rupiah ($68,050.36) to 40.9 billion rupiah ($2.78 million).
[Reporting by Dewi Kurniawati; Editing by Susan Fenton.]