The price of red chilies at the Lambaro Main Market in Aceh Besar Regency has skyrocketed, rising dramatically from Rp100,000 per kilogram (kg) to Rp200,000 per kg due to the floods that hit Aceh and the disruption of transportation routes in the region."The floods that hit Aceh have disrupted the distribution of a number of commodities from producing areas because some bridges have been cut off and cannot be crossed," said Acting Head of the Aceh Besar Cooperatives, SMEs and Trade Service (Diskopukmdag) Sulaimi in Lambaro, Aceh Besar, Aceh, Friday.
He said the prices of commodities that experienced a drastic increase were red chilies, cayenne peppers from IDR 30 thousand to IDR 80 thousand per kg and shallots from IDR 35 thousand to IDR 38 thousand per kg and broiler chicken eggs from IDR 57 per board (containing 30 eggs) to IDR 65 thousand per board.
According to him, the increase in chili prices is particularly because the producing areas that supply this commodity, namely Pidie, Bener Meriah, Takengon, are inundated by floods and access from Bener Meriah and Central Aceh is cut off.
He said that based on monitoring, supplies in the market were limited due to minimal supply from producing areas.
Meanwhile, for staple goods whose prices are stable, namely premium rice at IDR 15,300 per kilogram, Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) rice at IDR 13,100 per kilogram, bulk cooking oil at IDR 17,100 per liter, MinyaKita at IDR 15,700 per kilogram, bulk granulated sugar at IDR 18,000 per kg and wheat flour at IDR 14,000 per kilogram.
The Aceh Besar Cooperatives, SMEs, and Trade Office, he said, is also continuing to monitor developments and improve coordination with all relevant agencies to ensure smooth supplies following the floods that hit Aceh.
