The Price Of Shallots Reaches IDR 80,000 Per Kg, Trade Minister Zulhas: Traders Are Still Selling Holidays, Please Understand

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan (Mendag Zulhas) opened his voice regarding the soaring price of shallots, even touching Rp80,000 per kilogram (kg).

He said the price increase occurred because not many traders returned to selling after the Lebaran 2024 holiday.

This condition reduces the stock of shallots in the market.

"Yes, Lebaran knows that all people are off, so the trade is lacking," he said when met at the Ministry of Trade Office, Jakarta, Wednesday, April 24.

Not only because traders are on holiday, Zulhas said the stock of shallots is lacking because farmers have not fully returned to work.

"If people don't cut onions, no one sends them. The people of Lebaran understand," he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Domestic Trade, Isy Karim, revealed the high price of onions at this time due to flooding in the area of the onion production center.

"The red onions in Brebes are flooded, the same as the statement of the head of the shallot because there was flooding in Brebes, the supply was reduced," he said.

Isy said the government was looking at the harvest conditions at the production center in the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) region.

"We are looking at Bima in NTB. The source of shallots is also in Bima, not only in Brebes. We are coordinating with Badanas, whether Bapanas will bring it from Bima later," he said.