Rainy Season, Vegetable Prices in Bintan have Increased, Spinach Reach Rp 14 Thousand Per Kilo

TRIBUNBATAM.id - A number of vegetable prices in the Bintan market have experienced increases. 

This is due to the fact that production from local farmers is disrupted due to the weather which is currently entering the rainy season.

The Chairman of the Farmers Group in Toapaya, Erwanto said, since the rainy season, vegetable production has been disrupted. Because the plants do not get enough nutrition to grow. 

One of the reasons is that the plants become excess water because of the continuous rain that keeps on pouring in, so that the plant's photosynthesis process is disrupted because there is no sunlight. 

"Likewise, when we provide additional fertilizer. The results are very ineffective because the fertilizer we give is washed by rain water," he explained, Wednesday (06/24/2020).

Erwanto continued, another problem was related to the content of rain water, such as salt levels that were too high.

That is what causes farmers to do the flushing process by using pond water so that the plants can be saved.

"Production costs are higher because vegetables must be sprayed with fungicides frequently to avoid fungal attacks," he said. 

Disruption of vegetable production among farmers is also a bad impact on the price conditions on the market.

It was also conveyed by the Head of Goods Control, Staple and Important Needs of the Department of Cooperatives, Micro Business, Trade and Industry (DKUPP) Bintan, Setia Kurniawan.

Prices on the market that they monitor have been increased around 30 to 40 percent in some types of leaf vegetables.

• Nongsa Becomes a New Normal Tourism Pilot, Batam Nongsapura Port Manager Welcomes Positive

• UPDATE: Total, there are 49.009 Cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia, Adding 1.113

Iwan explained, usually these vegetables are in the price range of Rp 6-9 thousand / kg, but now the price is rising to Rp 9-14 thousand / kg. 

Iwan added, the reason for the increase in vegetable prices was because of the farmers' production which was disrupted due to the rainy season. 

Although the price of vegetables rises, prices for other basic necessities are relatively stable. As the price data for basic needs that are monitored from several markets in Bintan.

The average price of cayenne pepper is Rp. 28 thousand / kg, red chili, Rp. 29 thousand / kg, Java red onions, Rp. 37 thousand / kg, and Indian onion, Rp. 14 thousand / kg.