Jakarta (ANTARA) - Two food commodities at Kramat Jati Central Market\nin East Jakarta \u2014 large red chillies and shallots \u2014 have risen\nsignificantly in price at the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah.<\/p>\n
A chilli trader, Andi (35), said the price of large red chillies has\nnow reached Rp40,000 per kilogram. The increase has occurred gradually\nover the past week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price of large red chillies today is Rp40,000 per kilogram. It\u2019s\nbeen going up quite a bit \u2014 it\u2019s getting expensive. It\u2019s been rising for\nabout a week now, climbing step by step,\u201d Andi said at Kramat Jati\nCentral Market in East Jakarta on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Andi explained that previously, large red chillies were still priced\nin the range of Rp25,000 to Rp30,000 per kilogram. However, as supply\nhas diminished, prices have continued to creep upward.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially it was around Rp25,000 to Rp30,000 per kilogram, and it\njust kept going up. When prices rise, it means stock is running thin.\nWhen it\u2019s expensive, it\u2019s usually because there isn\u2019t much product\navailable,\u201d Andi said.<\/p>\n
According to Andi, chilli price fluctuations are highly dependent on\nstock availability at distribution centres. If supply returns to\nabundance, prices could potentially fall. Conversely, if stock remains\nlimited, prices could continue rising throughout Ramadan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether prices go up or down during Ramadan depends on stock at the\nmain supply points. If there\u2019s plenty of stock, prices will come back\ndown. If stock is low, they could rise again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It is not only chillies that have seen price increases \u2014 shallot\nprices have also climbed in recent days.<\/p>\n
Shallot trader Aril (44) said peeled shallots are currently selling\nat Rp42,000 per kilogram, whilst unpeeled shallots, particularly the\nlarger variety, have reached Rp50,000 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeeled shallots are Rp42,000 per kilogram. The unpeeled ones, the\nbig ones, are around Rp50,000,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Aril, the price increase began around 15-16 February\n2026. Previously, shallots were still in the range of Rp35,000 per\nkilogram. However, over the past three days, prices have surged to\nbetween Rp40,000 and Rp50,000 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrices have been going up, starting from about three days ago around\n15-16 February. Initially it was about Rp35,000 per kilogram, now it\u2019s\nalready Rp40,000 to Rp50,000,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Aril suspects the price increase is due to reduced supply from key\nproduction areas, particularly Brebes in Central Java. According to him,\ndisrupted distribution has caused stock at the central market to thin\nout.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my view, this increase is because stock from Brebes is becoming\nscarce \u2014 it\u2019s getting difficult,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Aril even estimates that shallot prices could continue to rise during\nRamadan, potentially breaking through the Rp60,000 per kilogram mark if\nsupply does not return to normal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looks like during Ramadan, prices are expected to keep rising up\nto Rp60,000 per kilogram,\u201d Aril said, adding that a number of\ninspections have been carried out to ensure there is no hoarding.<\/p>\n
The rising prices of chillies and shallots have drawn the attention\nof both traders and buyers, given that both commodities are staple\ningredients in high demand, particularly during Ramadan.<\/p>\n
Previously, Kramat Jati Central Market Manager Agus Lamun stated that\nto prevent unreasonable price spikes, market management together with\nrelevant agencies are continuing surveillance efforts.<\/p>\n
He said inspections have already been conducted by the National Food\nAgency and the Criminal Investigation Division of the National Police.\n\u201cThey are ensuring that these price increases are due to supply factors,\nnot manipulation,\u201d Agus said at Kramat Jati Central Market in East\nJakarta on Wednesday (18 February).<\/p>\n
According to him, this oversight is essential to maintaining price\nstability and protecting the public from speculative practices.<\/p>\n
With supply beginning to improve, market management hopes that chilli\nprices can continue to decline and stabilise throughout Ramadan and into\nEid.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope the weather improves and farmers can harvest normally. If\nsupply flows smoothly, prices will also be more controlled,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Agus also urged the public to shop according to their needs and to\navoid excessive purchasing.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chilli-and-shallot-prices-climb-at-kramat-jati-central-market-1771569490", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }