MATARAM - Bank Indonesia (BI) has facilitated the supply of sweet peas between regions as a step to maintain the availability of supplies while reducing the potential for price increases during Ramadan and Lebaran in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
Head of BI NTB Region Hario Kartiko Pamungkas said his party connected farmer groups in the production center area with buyers in areas with high demand.
"At the beginning of Ramadan, the supply of crops in NTB is not sufficient to meet public demand. Demand is higher than supply," he said in a statement in Mataram, Saturday.
Hario revealed that the imbalance in demand and supply could potentially drive up prices if it is not anticipated through distribution strengthening and supply addition.
Bank Indonesia then conducted a screening of the cluster of binaan agriculture that was spread in a number of regions to ensure the potential harvest of sweet peas in Ramadan 2026.
A total of two BI-built agricultural clusters in North Lombok and Central Lombok are still able to harvest sweet peas even in weather conditions dominated by rain.
"The harvest of North Lombok is not only used to meet the needs of the people of North Lombok, but can also meet the needs of people in Mataram," said Hario.
In addition to facilitating cooperation in the supply of sweet peas in the NTB region, Bank Indonesia also encourages the addition of supplies from outside the region so that stocks can meet community needs.
The National Food Agency together with the Saber Pangan Task Force and the Central Lombok Government has brought 1.18 tons of sweet peas from Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi.
"The chili was brought last Sunday. The East Lombok Regency Government will also bring 1 ton of chili," said Hario.
The National Food Agency provides food distribution facilities in the form of strengthening distribution through activities to bring chili rawit from outside the region.
The distribution costs of bringing chili peppers from South Sulawesi and other areas to West Nusa Tenggara are all borne by the National Food Agency.
Furthermore, Hario appealed to the public to implement wise shopping and reasonable consumption so that there is no spike in demand during the Ramadan to Lebaran 2026 period.
"If we can all shop wisely and consume reasonably, hopefully we can contribute to controlling food prices in NTB," he concluded.
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