Market sales plunge, wholesalers suffer

Market sales plunge, wholesalers suffer

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Wholesaler vendors here have suffered significant losses due
to the decline in sales of vegetables and staple foods over the
past few days, following widespread flooding that has affected
several traditional markets.

A number of vendors in the Kramat Jati traditional wholesale
market in East Jakarta told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that
they were barely selling any produce, as their customers, who
operated out of traditional markets, had shut down their
businesses due to the flooding.

"Usually I can sell five tons of potatoes (one ton is equal to
30 sacks), but now only 20 sacks. The price has also decreased
from Rp 2,100 per kilogram to just Rp 1,800 as the quality has
also declined," said Cees, a potato wholesaler.

His customers from Cipulir and Jatinegara markets, both in
East Jakarta, and Pasar Minggu market in South Jakarta, had
temporarily closed their businesses, causing him to lose Rp 1
million per day.

The Cipulir market was closed as the flood waters had reached
a level of 70 centimeters.

Another vendor, Amad, said that he had had to dispose of three
boxes (1.5 tons) of rotten red chillies which had been delivered
four days earlier. "I had to throw them away because no customers
have come to buy them for the past three days. The quality of the
chillies was also bad as they were wet when they arrived here."

On a normal day, Amad can sell at least three boxes of
chillies at a price of Rp 6,000 per kilogram, but the price has
now dropped to just Rp 3,500.

Piles of rotten chillies and other vegetables could be seen
along the drenched road through the market.

Meanwhile, Pak Wen, a tomato supplier from Sukabumi, West
Java, complained about the decreasing demand from wholesalers.

"Usually I'd go to Jakarta twice a week to drop off the
tomatoes, but now I can only drop them off once a week," said
Wen, adding that the quality of the tomatoes had deteriorated as
Sukabumi was also hit by heavy downpours.

He said the price of the tomatoes had dropped from Rp 1,300
per kilogram to Rp 1,100.

Niniek, a housewife living in Pondok Kelapa, East Jakarta,
said she had not seen any vegetable vendors in her neighborhood
since Sunday. "Usually, once every two days, I buy vegetables and
other food staples from the vendors as it is cheaper and more
practical."