Rain stops, vegetables prices return to normal

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The price of vegetables in markets across Jakarta has begun to return to normal as increasing supplies start to enter the capital following a letup in the recent rains.

However, prices are still slightly higher than before the floods as supplies are still falling short of market demand.

"Though supplies have greatly increased compared to the last couple of weeks, stocks are still insufficient to meet demand," said Edi, 40, a vegetable vendor in Jatinegara traditional market in East Jakarta.

Edi blamed the persistent rain that fell on Jakarta until recently for washing out vegetable gardens.

He used to sell a bunch of spinach for Rp 400 (less than 4 US cents), but during the floods, the price reached Rp 1,000. Now it costs Rp 500.

Edi said that most leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kangkung (kind of leafy vegetable), caisim (Chinese vegetable) and mustard greens, which have shorter growing periods than other types of vegetables like cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots, would soon be available in abundance on the market.

"Most leafy vegetables will be ready for harvesting in about 20 days, while the other types can take 40 days or more," said Edi, who claimed to have years of experience as a vegetable grower.

Jakarta gets its vegetable supplies mostly from Bogor, Sukabumi and Puncak in West Java, and from some areas in the city itself.

Eulis, 30, a vegetable vendor in the Genjing traditional market in Central Jakarta, said fresh stocks of leafy vegetables entering the market had lowered the price slightly. "However, other types of vegetables remain pricey as they are still relatively scarce."

Maria, a housemaid from Jl. Salemba Bluntas, Central Jakarta, said she was forced to buy cheaper vegetables like carrots instead of tomatoes to save money.

Meanwhile, Ma'mun, 50, a mobile vegetable vendor near Pramuka market in Central Jakarta, said that most types of vegetables were available on the market.

"Fresh stocks either from outside or inside Jakarta have been entering the markets," he said.

Some vendors said that during the floods only five kinds of vegetable were available instead of the 20 kinds available in normal circumstances.

Last week, people were still complaining that they could not find certain vegetables in the markets.