Demand of Staple Food Rocketing Sharply
Reported by TP Moan Simanjuntak | Translated by Nugroho Adibrata
This condition has been a tradition long ago, food price keeps creeping up in the fasting month and approaching Eid ul Fitr
Staple food prices at several traditional markets in Jakarta have begun to creep up two weeks ahead of Eid ul Fitr.
Yusron, (45), a staple food peddler at Tomang Market, West Jakarta, said staple food price keeps rising since entering Ramadan. It happens because difficult of food transportation from supplier area due to bad weather and road damaged, as well as harvest failures in key rice production centers due to erratic weather.
"This condition has been a tradition long ago, food price keeps creeping up in the fasting month and approaching Eid ul Fitr," he expressed, Monday (7/14).
He stated, free-range chicken egg, cooking oil, and sugar are among those food items whose prices have risen. In details, cooking oil was sold at Rp 12,000/kg prior to Ramadan, but it increased from Rp 13,000/kg to Rp 13,500/kg after entering Ramadan, sugar from Rp 10,000/kg to Rp 12,000/kg, as well as free-range chicken egg Rp 17,000/kg to Rp 20,000/kg.
Similar statement also came out from Yeyen (50), a peddler of vegetable and cooking ingredients at PD Pasar Jaya Kembangan. A number of staple food keeps rising approaching Ramadan and until now.
He details, curly chili has risen from Rp 12,000/kg to Rp 13,000/kg, large red chili Rp 15,000/kg to Rp 18,500/kg, cayenne pepper Rp 14,000/kg to Rp 16,500/kg, red onion Rp 22,000/kg to Rp 24,000/kg, and garlic Rp 15,000/kg to Rp 22,000/kg.
Apparently, price hike also hit beef and chicken meat. Murdaya (35), a beef peddler explained beef price keeps rising significantly. Prior to Ramadan, beef was sold at Rp 95,000/kg and increased to Rp 100,000 at the beginning of Ramadan. The latest price has reached Rp 120,000/kg. As for the chicken meat, has risen from Rp 50,000 to Rp 65,000/chicken, and the latest price hit Rp 75.000/chicken. "Although the price is high, but many people flock to buy his meat," he told.
Head of Livestock Section for West Jakarta Livestock and Fishery Sub-Department, Rahmat Manendar said thus far, the demand for broiler chicken and beef in West Jakarta is high or up to 20 percent, from 50,000 becomes 60,000 per day. Then for beef, has risen threefold, from 20 tons to 70 tons per day.
Such demand is predicted to rise until Eid ul Fitr. "Beef demand is creeping up drastically than broiler chicken," he reported.
According to him, price hike is reasonable. So far, people need for beef and chicken is still being met. "Until now, there has been no supply problem because we have anticipated it long ago. Beef price is predicted to reach RP 125,000-Rp 150,000/kg," he uttered.