Agriculture Ministry Reveals Reason Why Chili Price Hike
- ANTARA FOTO/Asep Fathulrahman
Jakarta – Chili commodity prices have been rising in nowadays. Based on the food price panel on Monday, the red chili price rose by IDR 1,820 to IDR 50,200 and red cayenne pepper rose by IDR 1,400 to IDR 64,750 per kg.
Director General of Horticulture in Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto revealed that the increase in chili price was caused by the declining production due to the El Nino phenomenon.
"Now the production is a bit down because the El Nino period is a bit long, everything will experience like that," Setyanto explained in Jakarta on Monday.
Pedagang menyortir cabai rawit. (Ilustrasi)
- ANTARA FOTO/Dhemas Reviyanto
However, Setyanto said that soon chili production will increase again. It was triggered by the rainy season, "But soon it will increase. Yes, if it starts raining, people will start planting chili."
Based on the Ministry of Agriculture's forecast for chili production this year will experience a surplus on an annual basis, Setyanto said.
"I conveyed our prognosis yesterday at the leadership meeting that our annual production is surplus for chili, but the monthly fluctuates. Sometimes the production is high, sometimes it's a bit down, it's because of the season."
Petani memanen cabai merah di kawasan lahan pertanian Sumur Welut di Surabaya. (Ilustrasi)
- ANTARA FOTO/Zabur Karuru
Setyanto said that the decline in production due to the long dry season has almost occurred in all regions of Indonesia.
"Almost on average, all (regions) experienced a decrease in production due to the long dry season. But hopefully we will encourage it, now we are encouraging it," he said.
