Vendors struggle to profit from celebrations
Adianto P. Simamora and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Some red-and-white flags are fastened on ropes while a couple of colorful banners are hung from trees on a sidewalk just across from the Simprug Apartment in South Jakarta.
Agus, 22, sits on a bench waiting for people to buy a flag or two. He eats steamed corn, once in a while scratching lazily at his back.
"I can't stand waiting for buyers like this. Usually, I help my father on our farm or sell syrup in my village. This is just boring," he told The Jakarta Post recently.
Together with about 15 other people from his village in Sokaraja, Garut, West Java, Agus came to Jakarta on July 30 to earn money selling flags and banners ahead of Independence Day.
The prices of the flags and banners range from Rp 20,000 (US$2) to Rp 40,000 ($4) depending on the size.
The flag vendors plan to stay in the capital until Aug. 17 when the nation celebrates the 60th anniversary of independence.
The annual Independence Day celebration not only brings out the flag and banner vendors, but also people selling poles made from areca palm trees.
Usually, people buy the poles for climbing contests. The poles are greased up and people try and climb to the top to claim one of the prizes waiting for them.
One of the palm trees vendor in Jakarta is Yusuf, 40. He usually enjoys huge profits selling palm trees ahead of Independence Day.
"I have run this business since 1995. Every year I can sell some 50 areca palm trees, mainly to communities living around here," Yusuf, who displays his products in Kalimalang, East Jakarta, told the Post.
He said that each tree would sell for between Rp 250,000 and Rp 300,000, adding that he bought the trees for about Rp 100,000 each.
"Last year, I made a net profit of Rp 6 million ($600) over 10 days (from Aug. 6 to Aug. 16)," he said. "So far, I have sold 10 trees."
To help him run his annual business, Yusuf, a father of two, hires at least three people to help him decorate the trees.
For this year's celebrations, Yusuf brought a total of 50 areca palm trees from Sukabumi, West Java.
Atim, 30, has been displaying his areca palm trees since June 26 in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.
"So far, I have only sold three trees. The peak time might be from Aug. 14," Atim, who has run the business for seven years, said.
"I have had several customers here such as state Bank Rakyat Indonesia and the fast-food restaurant McDonald's, but we not yet received any orders from them," he said.
Atim sets his prices at between Rp 300,000 to Rp 500,000 per trees.
For Agus, this is his second visit to the capital. The first one was in December 2002 when he sold paper trumpets to celebrate the New Year around the Taman Mini in East Jakarta.
Unlike his previous experience, selling flags and banners has turned out to be boring. There have been some days when he has not seen a single customers.
During our conversation that day, a Kijang Innova stopped and a woman asked if Agus had any smaller flags. The car quickly left when Agus said he did not have smaller flags.
"Only a few people stop by and bargain, and only a few of them make a purchase. I hope the President orders all offices to put up flags," he said.
He said he hoped to sell his flags soon so he could get some food and go home.