Rural poor turn to maize as rice becomes costly

By Agus Maryono and Ngudi Utomo

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): The economic crisis has relentlessly been pushing up staple food prices. Most inhabitants in underdeveloped villages in Central Java's Banyumas regency must struggle hard to fill their stomachs. They cannot think of nutritious food.

As farm workers, their wages are not enough to buy rice for their families for one week, let alone one month.

This condition has existed for five months in the villages of Limpa Kuwus, Kutayasa and Gandatapa in Sumbang. The price of low- quality rice in this region, on the slopes of Mount Slamet, has reached Rp 2,200 a kilogram. Medium-quality rice costs Rp 2,800 a kilogram. With their irregular work, they can hardly afford this.

The villagers, numbering over 500, have finally opted for maize instead of rice as their staple food, in these difficult times.

"In my experience, this is only the second time that we have been forced to have maize as our staple food," said Lakem, 50, a mother of three and a grandmother of five.

"In the 1960s, there was no rice and we had to eat maize. Now, it has happened again. There is rice but we can't afford it," said the Limpa Kuwus villager.

Previously, Lakem cook maize dishes only occasionally. "At the time, the price of rice was still affordable," Lakem said. Lakem served rice twice a week. The rest of the week saw maize on the table.

A new problem arose when the price of rice soared. "What we consider important now is to fill our stomachs. We don't care whether it's rice or maize," she said.

She admitted she was afraid that the price of maize would also increase because the price of maize at nearby grocery stores has reached Rp 1,500. "If maize also becomes more expensive, I do not know what we are going to eat," she said.

If her family continues to eat maize, Lakem's daily activities may be limited to the preparation of meals. It is different from cooking rice, which requires mere washing and cooking. The maize must be dried one whole day. "If the maize is wet, the dish will be less edible," she said.

She also has to keep an eye on the maize while it is drying because chickens may eat it. When the drying process is finished, the maize is soaked in water while it is being cleaned; it is then crushed into small pieces. "Then it is washed again before cooking. This is like cooking rice. When the maize is half cooked, it is moved to another pan and cooked further. Surely, the time required is long not like cooking rice," Lakem said.

Lakem said it is complex and time-consuming, and at the cost of other daily activities. "If we eat rice, I have enough time after cooking it to help my husband in the field. But when we eat maize it may take one whole day to prepare the dish. The quality of the dish is also determined by the factor of time."

When the maize is dry, Lakem must rise early and start crushing it. Then, the maize must be cooked immediately, otherwise it will turn acidic, which is not good for consumption. That is why she has no left over crushed maize except a certain quantity earmarked for flour that is used for supplementary dishes like maize porridge and mendoan (fried maize).

Lakem's experience is shared by her neighbors and relatives at Limpa Kuwus village and the neighboring villages of Kutayasan and Gandatapa. The villagers drying maize at the front of their houses offers a special sight along the road.

Sarlem, 40, a mother of three, said she loses Rp 1,500 every day because the preparation of maize dishes is so time consuming. "One whole day is spent on the maize, from drying to cooking, while I cannot go to the field to help my husband and earn Rp 1,500 a day. Our family's earnings shrink," Sarlem said.

But it is different for Wartuji, 40. She cannot buy rice. Moreover, part of her land is on the mountain's slope and due to the difficulty in irrigation, can only be planted with maize. She has been planting maize for many years, and the capacity to buy and the difficulty to obtain maize are not felt by this mother of five children.

"We can eat what we plant," said Wartuji. She adds that she will have no difficulty if the price of maize increases because she stores her maize harvest. The method used by Wartuji and other villagers to store the maize in the kitchen is by making a para (storage bin for maize above the fireplace), which ensures that the maize holds good for years.

The difficulties experienced by some of the villagers are increasing, including the unaffordability of buying other daily needs, like soap. They are compelled to buy this commodity on credit.

Their condition is very critical. They, too, are hoping for an end to the monetary and economic crisis. They have no sweet dreams apart from enjoying the deliciousness of rice.