Villagers forced to eat dried corn

Villagers forced to eat dried corn

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: The unaffordable price of rice and
other essential commodities here has forced hundreds of villagers
in the Sumbang subdistrict of Banyumas regency to eat boiled ears
of dried corn as a substitute for rice over the past month.

Some residents of Limpak Luwus, Kotayasa and Sumbang villages
in the regency's northern tip contacted by The Jakarta Post
yesterday said that rice and cooking oil were now simply
unaffordable.

Mbok (the name given to an older woman) Tarlam, 45, and Mbok
Nawirja, 40, said that dried corn provided a cheaper way to feed
their families. The lowest quality rice on the market currently
costs Rp 2,200 (15 US cents) per kilogram, while dried corn is
priced at between Rp 1,000 and Rp 1,300 per kg.

Mbok Tarlam said one kilogram of boiled dried corn could feed
twice as many people as a kilogram of rice, adding that she used
salted dried vegetables to supplement her family's meager diet.

Mbok Nawirja said her family consumed half a kilogram of rice
once a week and ate dried corn the rest of the time.

Other residents contacted said they had not eaten fried food
for over three months because of the prohibitively expensive
price of cooking oil.

"We can't even buy rice, let alone cooking oil," Mbok Tarlam
said. (45)