IPB Ready to Help Overcome Fluctuative Price of Chili
The rising prices of garlic and onion are used by some as the reason to raise the chili prices. However in reality, the increase only occurs in the small white chili pepper, Capsicum frutescens (javanese chili) priced around Rp 60 thousand per kilogram, according to the chili expert of IPB, Dr.Ir. Muhammad Syukur of the Department of Agronomy and Hortikulutra, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).
"The rise is actually just for the white small chili of around Rp 60 thousand per kilogram. Red big chili, red small chili and curly chili are still at the normal price. The issue of rising price of chili is actually only "pulled" from the rising price of garlic," he told reporters at the Coffee Morning event held in the meeting room of PSP3, Baranangsiang Campus of IPB (25/3).
Dr Muhammad Syukur said, chili production in Indonesia in 2012 reached 1.9 million tons per year and the demand for a national chili is approximately 1.2 million tons per year, increasing by 0.6 million tons compared to 2011.
"The supply is greater than the demand, this means there is still enough supply of chilli and its price should not increase. Moreover, even if there is an increase, it will not last long because merchants can not store fresh chillies for a long time. The chili will rot if kept in the room temperature for more than a week," said the IPB lecturer, who received the IPR award in 2012 from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
Further, Dr. Muhammad Syukur said prices would be volatile if supply is less than demand. With the national chili production reaching 1.9 million tons per year, the price should not go up and the government does not need to import. In addition, the chili is a commodity which, by law, can not be imported.
The pattern of national chili production has been clear since 2003. In his observations, in December, January and February, the production of chili always drop by 30%. In these months chili is attacked by pests and diseases associated with the weather, the rainy season.
"We can learn from this data. To address the decline in production, in the other months chili production should be increased by 30 per cent by maximizing cultivation and exoanding the area of chili cultivation. Chili can be grown in all places and all seasons. For the rainy season it needs extra effort. And IPB is ready to help with all the technology avsilable in IPB," said Dr Muhammad Syukur. (Mtd)
