Government and Champion Chili Farmers Supply 10.9 Tons of Chili to PIKJ
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Food Agency (Bapanas) together with Champion Chili has supplied 10.9 tons of red chili to the Kramat Jati Main Market (PIKJ) Jakarta, in order to maintain supply and stabilize prices at the consumer level during Ramadan 1447 Hijriah.
“The government has mobilized red chili stocks in collaboration with farmers who are Champion Chili fostered by the Ministry of Agriculture from various regions. As of Tuesday (February 24), this has reached 10.9 tons,” said the Deputy for Availability and Food Stabilization of Bapanas, I Gusti Ketut Astawa in Jakarta, Wednesday.
Of this amount, the National Food Agency supports the subsidy for distribution costs of at least 7 tons, especially for the mobilization of stocks using air transport.
The supply of red chili sourced from Champion Chili is fostered by the Directorate General of Horticulture of the Ministry of Agriculture, which has consistently distributed to the Kramat Jati Main Market (PIKJ) in the last week.
“The price of red chili, which has been quite high recently, was already high at the upstream level. Therefore, the steps we are taking, as directed by the Head of Bapanas (Andi Amran Sulaiman), are to mobilize red chili to PIKJ,” he said.
He detailed that the distribution of red chili began on February 19 with a supply of 980 kilograms (kg) of red chili successfully arriving at PIKJ from Champion Chili Magelang, Central Java. The next day, 538 kg of the commodity arrived at PIKJ on February 20 from Champion Chili Bandung, West Java.
The mobilization of red chili stocks increased further on February 21 with 1,050 kg from Champion Chili Enrekang, South Sulawesi. On February 22, Champion Chili Magelang, Central Java, supplied 1,750 kg to PIKJ again.
“The next day, 1,260 kg came from Champion Chili Magelang, Central Java, plus 750 kg from Champion Chili Garut, West Java,” he explained.
Then on February 24, the mobilization of stocks broke the highest record, reaching 4,600 kg in one day. The supply came from Champion Chili Enrekang, South Sulawesi, 2,100 kg and Champion Chili Magelang, Central Java, 2,500 kg.
He hopes that with the supply of red chili from PIKJ, which is released at a price of between Rp60,000 to Rp65,000 per kg at the retail level, it can reduce prices in the downstream market.
“We are trying to get this chili into the main market first, so that hopefully we can control prices because the supply has started to move,” he said.
According to him, this can happen thanks to collaboration with the team from the Directorate General of Horticulture of the Ministry of Agriculture together with all of its fostered Champion Chili.
However, Ketut added, the prospect of price stability for red chili is starting to be seen with the projection that chili production will start to increase in the future. The decreasing rainfall is one of the determining factors for the success of chili harvests by domestic farmers.
One of the traders at PIKJ, Ali, said that the supply of red chili has started to arrive regularly at the main market. The selling price has also started to stabilize.
“The price of chili is decreasing every day. The supply is plentiful. (The price) is Rp60,000 to Rp65,000 per kilogram for the best quality. In the next 3 to 4 days, it will probably be Rp50,000 per kilogram,” said Ali.
Similarly, Tomi, who is also a trader at PIKJ, said that the price of red chili has decreased drastically. This condition is in contrast to the previous conditions, which had increased significantly.
“The price at this time is around Rp70,000 to Rp75,000 per kg. That’s the maximum. It has decreased drastically. Unlike before, it reached Rp140,000 to Rp150,000 per kilogram, now it has decreased from everything,” said Tomi.
Tomi also appreciated the government’s intervention by supplying red chili stocks from Champion Chili fostered by the Ministry of Agriculture to PIKJ at prices below market prices.
“The stock is safe, thank God. This is thanks to the red chili from the government subsidy. Thank God, since then the red chili supply has been safe, and the price has dropped drastically,” said Tomi.
Meanwhile, based on the Food Price Panel managed by Bapanas as of February 25, 2026, as reported in Jakarta, Wednesday at 13:35 WIB, the price of red chili is Rp73,782 per kilogram, down Rp2,299 from the previous day.
Furthermore, red curly chili is Rp44,016 per kilogram, down Rp1,545 from the previous day; and large red chili is Rp41,924 per kilogram, down Rp941 from the previous day at the national producer level.