Market sales plunge, wholesalers suffer<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Wholesaler vendors here have suffered significant losses due
\nto the decline in sales of vegetables and staple foods over the
\npast few days, following widespread flooding that has affected
\nseveral traditional markets.<\/p>\n
A number of vendors in the Kramat Jati traditional wholesale
\nmarket in East Jakarta told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that
\nthey were barely selling any produce, as their customers, who
\noperated out of traditional markets, had shut down their
\nbusinesses due to the flooding.<\/p>\n
\"Usually I can sell five tons of potatoes (one ton is equal to
\n30 sacks), but now only 20 sacks. The price has also decreased
\nfrom Rp 2,100 per kilogram to just Rp 1,800 as the quality has
\nalso declined,\" said Cees, a potato wholesaler.<\/p>\n
His customers from Cipulir and Jatinegara markets, both in
\nEast Jakarta, and Pasar Minggu market in South Jakarta, had
\ntemporarily closed their businesses, causing him to lose Rp 1
\nmillion per day.<\/p>\n
The Cipulir market was closed as the flood waters had reached
\na level of 70 centimeters.<\/p>\n
Another vendor, Amad, said that he had had to dispose of three
\nboxes (1.5 tons) of rotten red chillies which had been delivered
\nfour days earlier. \"I had to throw them away because no customers
\nhave come to buy them for the past three days. The quality of the
\nchillies was also bad as they were wet when they arrived here.\"<\/p>\n
On a normal day, Amad can sell at least three boxes of
\nchillies at a price of Rp 6,000 per kilogram, but the price has
\nnow dropped to just Rp 3,500.<\/p>\n
Piles of rotten chillies and other vegetables could be seen
\nalong the drenched road through the market.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pak Wen, a tomato supplier from Sukabumi, West
\nJava, complained about the decreasing demand from wholesalers.<\/p>\n
\"Usually I'd go to Jakarta twice a week to drop off the
\ntomatoes, but now I can only drop them off once a week,\" said
\nWen, adding that the quality of the tomatoes had deteriorated as
\nSukabumi was also hit by heavy downpours.<\/p>\n
He said the price of the tomatoes had dropped from Rp 1,300
\nper kilogram to Rp 1,100.<\/p>\n
Niniek, a housewife living in Pondok Kelapa, East Jakarta,
\nsaid she had not seen any vegetable vendors in her neighborhood
\nsince Sunday. \"Usually, once every two days, I buy vegetables and
\nother food staples from the vendors as it is cheaper and more
\npractical.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/market-sales-plunge-wholesalers-suffer-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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