Indonesian Agriculture Minister Addresses Rising Chili Prices Amidst Stable Staple Food Commodities

Weather and Natural Disasters Cited as Main Causes

Indonesian Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran Sulaiman, has provided justification for the recent surge in chili prices, attributing the increase to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters that have affected various regions in Indonesia. The minister emphasized that while chili prices have seen an upward trend, the situation is considered normal given the circumstances.

Stability in Staple Food Prices Maintained

Sulaiman highlighted that the prices of essential commodities such as rice, chicken meat, eggs, and cooking oil have remained stable. He attributed this stability to the sufficient stock levels of these commodities. The minister stressed that any significant price increase in these staple foods would be unwarranted given the current surplus stock.

Concerns Over Opportunistic Price Hikes

The minister expressed concerns that potential price hikes in staple foods during the Christmas and New Year season could be driven by opportunistic behavior rather than genuine supply constraints. Sulaiman mentioned that his monitoring indicated no significant increase in prices at the producer level, suggesting that any observed price increases at the market level might be due to exploitation of the high demand during the festive season.

Government Oversight and Market Monitoring

Sulaiman assured that the Ministry of Agriculture is closely monitoring the situation, particularly the prices of staple commodities. The government is prepared to take necessary actions to prevent unwarranted price hikes and ensure market stability during the peak demand period.