Rawit Hiyung Chili Prices Rise, Farmers In South Kalimantan Earn Up To IDR 50 Thousand Profits Per Kilogram

Illustration of the price of cayenne pepper. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The increase in the price of cayenne pepper brings blessings to farmers in Tapin Regency, South Kalimantan. They make a profit of up to Rp. 50 thousand per kilogram.

Currently, the market price of cayenne pepper in South Kalimantan has increased between Rp. 100,000 to Rp. 120,000 per kg. This value has almost doubled from the previous one, which was in the range of Rp. 60-70 thousand per kg.

"Currently, we are more profitable, because the price of cayenne pepper in the local market is expensive," said the head of the Karya Baru Farmers Group, Junaidi, as quoted by Antara.

"The selling price at our farmers is now in the range of Rp. 90-Rp. 100 thousand. Last year the price was Rp. 35 thousand per kg," he continued.

Cayenne pepper hiyung, which for several years has been named the hottest cayenne pepper in Indonesia, he said, only has a price difference of around Rp. 10,000 in the market.

"Buyers come here directly. They come from various regions in South Kalimantan. They sell them again in the market," he said.

Currently, the availability of cayenne pepper typical of Hiyung Village in the Lebak swamp land, said Junaidi, is harvested in stages and can last until next December. The unique chili that can only grow optimally in the village, he said, is now entering the harvest season.

"Only 25 percent of the land has been harvested. It can be harvested up to 20 times," he said.

At this first harvest for one hectare of land, you can get 35 kg of cayenne pepper hiyung. Meanwhile, at the cayenne pepper center, there are 250 farmers who plant on an area of 148 hectares.

Meanwhile, for the needs of the hiyung cayenne pepper production house, it only requires one ton of wet chili to be sold in various processed packages. "So it can still meet the needs of wet chili," he said.

Regarding the price increase, Junaidi said, it is hoped that farmers will persist until harvest time is up.