Jakarta – The rainy season has caused prices of vegetables to increase in markets. At Cisalak Market in Depok, West Java, the price of cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, long beans, broccoli, pumpkin and several other vegetables have increased.
"It's been a week since prices have doubled," a merchant named Anis said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.
According to Anis, a kilogram of cauliflower had increase from Rp 6,000 (41 US cents) to Rp 12,000, while a kilogram of carrots had increased from Rp 7,000 to Rp 15,000.
The price of a kilogram of cucumbers has also surged from Rp 600 to Rp 1,000, while lettuce from Rp 4,500 to Rp 12,000. Tomatoes, which had been sold for Rp 8,000 per kg previously, were now priced at Rp 12,000 per kg. The price of shallots had also increased from Rp 26,000 per kg to Rp 30,000 per kg.
"The high prices have caused customers to hesitate from coming to my shop. My shop was usually packed with buyers in the morning. But today, I've only been visited by three buyers," she said that afternoon.
Another vegetable seller, Fadli, said the rainy season had not only affected prices but also the quality of vegetables. "Sometimes it's sunny, and then suddenly it's rainy. This creates many holes in lettuce leaves and spots on cucumbers," he said.
Merchant Siti Aishyah said the increasing prices along with lower quality had resulted in fewer purchases. "People who usually buy a kilogram of chili now only buy half a kilogram. Some have even stopped buying raw vegetables in the market and opted for eating cooked food at stalls," she said. (vla)