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."