Consumers get ready for price hikes

P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakartans are bracing themselves for Idul Fitri holiday price hikes, and hoping costs won't go too high.

Shoppers at two of the city's largest traditional markets at Kebayoran Lama and Kramat Jati were still paying regular prices, but the vendors warned them to prepare for price hikes in the week or three days before the holiday.

"On those days the meat price can reach up to Rp 45,000 per kilogram," said Lukman, a butcher from Kebayoran Baru market. While the other three main holiday food items such as eggs could reach up to Rp 8,000 per kilogram, with coconut going up to Rp 3000 each and chicken rising to Rp 20,000 per kilogram or Rp 25,000 each.

Until the 10 days before the holiday, the price of eggs is around Rp 6,500 per kilogram, coconuts are only Rp 1,500 each, chicken sells at around Rp 7,500 up to Rp 10,000 per kilogram, while meat remains at Rp 35,000 per kilogram.

The consumers said they wouldn't mind spending all that money for the special day, but they hope that the price increment would make sense to them.

Although prices have not risen yet, the vendors say that the number of consumers seemed to be decreasing this year. Some vendors said that it could be caused by the decline in the consumers' purchasing power.

"The number of buyers last year was better than this year. I don't really understand the reason, but maybe they don't have much money to spend these days," complained Ijah, 40, who was selling chickens in Kebayoran Lama market.

Mutia, 48, from the Sukabumi Utara subdistrict, said the declining number of consumers was because many people had already gone home.

"These days people choose to go home to their village earlier to celebrate the holiday with their family, because the ticket fares have not been increased yet and there are no traffic jams," said Mutia.

The Idul Fitri holiday is a season of forgive and forget. Just a moment after the Idul Fitri prayer, families and friends will gather and hold special celebrations by eating special menu items like ketupat (steamed rhombus-shaped rice cake), opor (chicken dish cooked with coconut cream) and samble goreng kentang (meat dish with potatoes in a spicy sauce).

"I could spend about Rp 150,000 for one day to buy everything I need to cook all the dishes," said Mon, 51, from Taman Mini, East Jakarta. But during the fasting month, she said that with Rp 50,000 she could have three days stock of daily needs, such as eggs, vegetables, chicken and fruit.

While Wati, 45, a resident of Sukabumi Utara subdistrict, said she could spend almost Rp 300,000 one or two days before the holiday.

A different comment came from Mutia, "For me the spending depends on how many family members stay in Jakarta. If many of the family members are going to their home towns, then the spending would be much lower."