Traditional Market Traders Call The Increase In Chili Prices Due To Extreme Weather

Photo Illustration: Antara

JAKARTA - Traditional market traders in Central Jakarta said the price of a number of basic necessities had increased in early 2023.

Edi, a vegetable trader at Rawa Sari Market, said that one of the vegetable commodities that rose quite rapidly was cayenne pepper.

"The price of red cayenne pepper, increased 80 percent from IDR 50 thousand to IDR 90 thousand for one kilogram (kg)," said Edi as quoted by Antara, Thursday, January 5.

Edi said that not only cayenne pepper, but the increase was also experienced by red chilies as much as 71 percent from Rp. 35 thousand to Rp. 60 thousand.

"The green cayenne pepper has doubled from IDR 40 thousand to IDR 80 thousand. It is also the price of shallots rising from IDR 30 thousand to IDR 60 thousand per kilogram, garlic IDR 35 thousand to IDR 40 thousand, potatoes IDR 15 thousand to IDR 20,000 per kilo," he said.

Edi revealed that the increase in chili prices was thought to be due to extreme weather which disrupted the harvest of chilies in the regions and made the supply small.

The price increase was complained by a number of traders because their turnover was much reduced by 50 percent.

"Everything has gone up since last Christmas and New Year. I hope the price of basic necessities can return to normal," added Edi.

Other traders, at Cempaka Putih Market, Tina admitted that her merchandise had increased, such as chilies, shallots, garlic and potatoes.

"My merchandise that goes up apart from chilies, there are onions, garlic and potatoes on the rise and the increase has occurred in one week which has doubled," said Tina.

Tina hopes that food prices that previously rose before the new year can return to normal so that people's purchasing power can return to normal.

Meanwhile, rice and oil traders, Salam, said that the price of pure rice is usually sold at a price of Rp. 9 thousand per liter to increase to Rp. 10 thousand per liter.

In addition, pera rice, which is usually sold at IDR 11,500, rose to IDR 12,500 per liter.

"I don't understand why all prices for basic necessities go up, what is certain is that we buy at an agent the price goes up, we sell it also goes up," said Salam.

Salam revealed that the price of packaged cooking oil, which was previously sold at Rp. 14,000, rose to Rp. 16 thousand per liter.

"Everything goes up, we traders are quiet buyers," he said.

In the same place, Leni (43), one of the buyers, admitted that she was surprised by the drastic increase in chili prices. Apart from chilies, the prices of shallots and whites also rose.

"I hope the government can stabilize chili prices back to normal. When everything goes up, we people are getting stuck like this," said Leni.x