GEORGE TOWN: Cooking oil supply in Penang is being restored and shortages at certain outlets have been addressed.

State Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Ministry director Nawardi Saad said the shortage was resolved at certain supermarkets and sundry shops that were facing problem getting cooking oil.

He said the ministry had helped these retailers source for cooking oil from wholesalers and appointed re-packers to ensure that interruption to their supply is minimal.

“We will make sure that cooking oil is available for everyone and we will work to replenish any shortage quickly,” he told reporters after attending a site inspection at the Jelutong wet market here.

Certain sundry shops in the state have been experiencing shortage of cooking oil in the 1kg and 5kg packaging. Checks show that a supermarket in George Town was out of the 1kg and 5kg cooking oil.

New Straits Times also found that while supply of the commodity was replenished from time to time, replenishment tends to be limited and the available stocks could not match the high demand.

A trader, who only wants to be known as Abdullah, said that his outlet at Jalan Magazine has not been getting any supply of the 1kg cooking oil in polybags, since Monday.

“We could not get the supply from the wholesalers, who tend to favour the hypermarkets due to bulk orders,” he said, adding that if the 1kg polybags are in stock, customers will just snap them up instantly.-nst