Rain stops, vegetables prices return to normal

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.