Revealed Cause of High Prices of Chilies, Farmers Reluctant to Harvest Due to Rain Food prices in general are relatively stable. Rep: Frederikus Dominggus Bata/ Red: Ahmad Fikri Noor

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The Secretary General of the National Food Agency, Bapanas, Sarwo Edhy, stated that the reluctance of farmers to harvest during the rainy season has been a trigger for the recent surge in chili prices. Weather factors have caused the supply to tighten and prices have briefly exceeded Rp100 thousand per kilogram. He conveyed that food prices in general are relatively stable. Chili is an exception, although it is now beginning to show a downward trend with the entry of harvests in several production centers. “Farmers are usually reluctant to harvest during the rainy season. If they harvest during the rainy season, it usually spoils. That is the constraint,” said Sarwo Edhy in Jakarta, Tuesday (3/3/2026). He explained that when it rains, the risk of damage increases, so farmers choose to wait for the weather to improve. When it does not rain, harvesting is carried out until late at night so that the commodities can be sent to the main markets or to ...