Garlic and Chilli Prices Skyrocket

By: Ulul Maskuriah

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan 17/7 (Antaranews) - The price of onion at a traditional market in Banjarmasin has skyrocketed from previous Rp25 thousand now reached Rp 50 thousand to Rp 60 thousand per kilogram.

Head of South Kalimantan Industry and Trade Agency Farida Wariansi said here on Wednesday skyrocketing onion in Banjarmasin due to lack of supply.  The local government can not do much to overcome, as the condition is occurring nationwide, even in some areas the increase is much higher.

Now, she said,  the central government is working to bring onions from several other countries, to suppress a variety of staples rise in the country.

Besides onion, chili also experienced significant price hikes, because the supply from some areas also continues to decrease. Though said Farida, now some areas in South Kalimantan, such as Tabalong, Central  Hulu Sungai, South Hulu Sungai, Tanah Laut, and some other areas have successfully developed this spicy plant. The price of chili in South Kalimantan ranging from Rp100 thousand to Rp120 thousand per kilogram.

In a meeting between the governor Rudy Arifin and agency heads  to discuss a variety of staples rise during Ramadan, Farida stated, chili proven to be developed in South Kalimantan, even without having a vast land, so it is likely the issue is resolved by each household.

"I have appealed to the public to be willing to plant chilli in their homes with quite easy agricultural technology," she said.