Zulhas Reveals JK's Response to Rising Chili Prices

Zulhas said in the Istana Complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday, that JK did not mind higher chili prices, arguing that chili farmers can buy a new shirt once a year. He attributed the price rise to the rainy season. One trader at Beringharjo Market, Ida, said several commodities had risen in price, with cabai rawit being particularly volatile. ‘Red cabai keriting and green cabai remain cheap. But cabai rawit fluctuates quickly—rising from Rp 105,000 to Rp 75,000, now around Rp 100,000 per kilogram, with some sellers at Rp 95,000 but the quality differs,’ she said on Wednesday (4 March 2026). In addition to chilies, vegetables have also seen price increases. For broccoli, Ida noted that the price had not merely risen but had effectively ‘changed price’ because the jump was sharp. She attributed the rises to very limited vegetable stocks and the poorer quality of produce arriving at markets, linked to adverse weather throughout 2026. Another trader, Sutinah, echoed the view about a significant rise in cabai rawit. ‘Rawit chili is now Rp 100,000, previously Rp 80,000 or Rp 85,000. In a week it can go up or not; today it rose to Rp 100,000,’ she said.