JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) claims that the production of red cayenne pepper has a surplus of 23,349 tons in January 2025. Then, why is the price of chili even more expensive in the market?
Director of Vegetables and Drug Plants of the Ministry of Agriculture Andi Muhammad Idul Fitri said that lunar production in January reached 111,041 tons. Meanwhile, the need for 87,692 tons. This means that chili production has a surplus of 23,349 tons.
"In the monthly and cumulative balance sheet, we are still in a surplus like that. Our cayenne pepper production balance in January, there is a monthly balance sheet at 23,349 tons," he said in a virtual coordination meeting for inflation control 2025 quoted from the Ministry of Home Affairs' YouTube, Monday, January 13.
Andi said the national average price of red cayenne pepper is IDR 73,640 per kilogram (kg) at the consumer level. Meanwhile, the price at the farmer level is IDR 52,310 per kg.
The reference purchase price (HAP) for red chili pepper at the consumer level ranges from Rp40,000 to Rp57,000 per kg. Meanwhile, HAP at the farmer level is Rp25.000 to Rp31,500 per kg.
"Indeed, the average weekly price of cayenne pepper, these two weeks have rolled up significantly, both for consumer prices and at the farmer level," he said.
Andi said that one of the causes of the current increase in the price of red cayenne pepper was extreme weather which caused a number of chili centers to be flooded.
The locations of the affected areas include in Wajo Regency, Sidrap Regency, Sukabumi Regency, Temanggung Regency and other centers located in the lowlands. This flood impact causes the potential for production loss to reach 70 to 87 percent," he said.
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Then, continued Andi, the low selling price of red cayenne pepper some time ago, caused farmers not to care for plants that were ready to harvest.
"Farmers also change many commodities that are being worked on, especially new farmers who are not used to growing red cayenne pepper. This has an impact on reducing the area of chili planting," he said.
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