WONGSOREJO – Harga cabai terus merosot sejak enam bulan lalu. It's not just farmers who bite their fingers, Collectors are also confused about marketing chilies.
Several chili collectors from Wongsorejo District, Banyuwagi, start working extra looking for a market with a more reasonable price. “Jika kemarin kami suplai cabai ke surabaya dan Jakarta, Now we have started to expand into Kalimantan and Sumatra,” ucap Newi, 45, Wongsorejo chili collectors.
But, It turns out that markets outside Java are already supplied by many traders from Mataram, Kediri, and Sleman. Suppliers from the three regions diligently supply chilies outside Java.
Meanwhile, Farmers also feel the loss because the price of chilies is reluctant to increase. Chili yield Rp 5.000 per kilogram (kg) feels very cheap. It is felt that this price cannot cover the costs during the planting process. “Jika cabai harga Rp 5000 per kg cannot cover costs during planting,” ucap Sujari, 55, chili farmers in Wongsorejo District.
Head of Department of Industry and Trade (Disperindag) Banyuwangi Ketut Kencana Niriha Saputra admitted, Currently the price of chilies in each sub-district in Banyuwangi has been monitored. Indications are that chili prices continue to decline due to a flood of chili supplies from other areas. Because of that, he said, the price of local chilies has plummeted.
“Untuk harga cabai di Pesar Banyuwangi pasokan dari wilayah lain tergolong murah. At a price of Rp 6.000 up to Rp 7.000 per kg," explained Ketut.
He added, Chili prices are still not under control at this time. If later the mass of chili plants from other regions enters an unproductive period, said Ketut, then the price of local chilies can be controlled.
“Jadi kita menunggu, Could the supply of chilies from other areas decrease?. If it has decreased, chili prices can return to stability,"he said. (radar)
