National Food Agency Predicts Red Chilli Pepper Price to Fall to IDR 50,000 in Third Week of Ramadan

Jakarta — The National Food Agency (Bapanas) forecasts red chilli pepper prices will fall to IDR 50,000 per kilogram during the third week of Ramadan.

Bapanas Chief Secretary Sarwo Edhy stated that according to information from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Directorate General of Horticulture, chilli farmers will begin large-scale harvesting in the third week of Ramadan.

“By the third week of fasting, large-scale harvesting will start. This information comes from the Horticulture Directorate. Harvesting will take place in Java regions: Central Java, East Java, and West Java,” Sarwo said when met at his Jakarta office on Tuesday (3 March 2026).

According to Sarwo, red chilli pepper prices have already begun declining to around IDR 70,000 to IDR 90,000 from previously above IDR 100,000 per kilogram at retail level.

Meanwhile, at Kramat Jati Central Market (PIKJ), red chilli pepper prices have already reached around IDR 65,000 per kilogram.

“The government’s price reference and government purchase price is IDR 57,000. Indeed, for red chilli pepper, it is somewhat high,” Sarwo said.

Sarwo acknowledged that red chilli pepper prices could tend to decline after the government supplies chilli from champion farmers to central markets. These are farmers who have received assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and facilities from the state budget (APBN).

Beyond that, the government is also facilitating the distribution of agricultural products from production centres to central markets.

“We will continue distribution facilitation but based on requests from local authorities so that prices at production centres match prices in deficit regions,” Sarwo said.

The Statistics Agency (BPS) reported the highest price at IDR 200,000 per kilogram in Nduga Regency and the lowest at around IDR 26,111 per kilogram.

Red chilli pepper prices have surged since about two weeks before Ramadan. The increase was triggered by surging market demand and rainy season weather that has hindered the harvest process. Consequently, red chilli pepper supply to the market has decreased and prices have soared.

“Farmers typically prefer not to harvest during the rainy season because harvested peppers in rainy season usually rot. That is the problem,” Sarwo said.