"The prices of red onion and garlic are declining but the price of red rawit is rising."
Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The price of red pepper known locally as "rawit" is picking up over the past four months in this city and hit a record high in the fourth week of March.

"The price is Rp45,000 per kilograms today up from Rp40,000 yesterday," Maryati a trader at the Kota Gede traditional market said here on Friday .

The rawit price rise came when the prices of onion and garlic are on the decline after creating market uproar especially among Indonesian housewives.

Earlier this month the prices of red onion and garlic hit an all time high mainly on either distribution hurdle or speculation.

"Rawit has caused household problem barely after onion and garlic ended nationwide uproar," Maryati said .

She said the increase in the price of rawit was probably caused by scarcity in supply lately.

Meanwhile, the prices of other types of chili such as green chili are relatively normal rising only slightly, she said.

An official of the regional office of the trade and industry service Sri Harnani said the authorities are monitoring development sin the market to identify the cause of the price hike.

"The prices of red onion and garlic are declining but the price of red rawit is rising," Sri noted.

The price of other essential commodities such as cooking oil and rice are normal she said.
(Uu.H-ASG/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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