Traders In The Market Shout, Chili Prices And Red Bottom Soar Drastically In A Week

JAKARTA - A number of vegetables ahead of Eid al-Adha began to creep up at the Kramat Jati Traditional Market, East Jakarta.

One vegetable trader named Adha (36) explained that the price increase was quite drastic over the past week. He admitted that of all the vegetables, the price of red cayenne pepper experienced an extreme increase from before.

"Previously per kilo, red cayenne pepper was Rp. 80 to Rp. 90 thousand. But within a week it immediately rose to Rp. 120 thousand," Adha told reporters, Wednesday, June 22.

The price of shallots has increased by up to 100 percent. The increase in shallots, he continued, is quite extreme because since the fasting month yesterday it has continued to rise without any price decline.

"Shallots have also increased, from the price of Rp. 25 thousand or Rp. 30 thousand, now it is up to Rp. 60 thousand. The increase is gradual from the fasting month of around Rp. 40 thousand to Rp. 45 thousand, now it is Rp. 60 thousand within a week," he said.

Then, Adha said, the price increase occurred for other vegetables such as eggplant, tomatoes, long beans and pokcoy.

"For eggplant, the increase is severe. Initially Rp. 8 thousand per kilo, now it is Rp. 15 thousand, it has increased quite a bit," he said.

Then the price of tomatoes also rose the same as eggplant, from Rp. 8 thousand to Rp. 15 thousand per kilo.

"Then for long beans, which used to be IDR 8,000 per kilo, now it's IDR 18,000 to IDR 20,000. As for pokcoy, it's from IDR 8000 to IDR 15 thousand," he said