Rural poor turn to maize as rice becomes costly

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.