CIREBON, KOMPAS – Damage to national roads in West Java’s northern coastal highway is obstructing the distribution of goods and food commodities. Not only has it increased traveling time, the cost of distribution has also soared causing losses to businessmen.
In Cirebon regency, for example, a number of shallot traders are complaining about road damage on the northern coastal highway, which is known to be the lifeblood of the national economy.
Carno, a farmer and shallot businessman in the Gebang area of Cirebon regency, said Wednesday (22/2) that road damage had forced vehicles transporting shallots from Cirebon toward Brebes to travel slowly. The speed had fallen from the ideal 60 kilometers per hour to under 40 kph.
“As a result, the travel time to Brebes, which is usually one hour, can reach up to two hours,” Carno said.
Transporting shallots from Gebang, Cirebon, to Brebes, approximately 35 kilometers away, usually costs Rp 400,000, but has now increased to Rp 500,000 per trip for a truck carrying eight tons of shallots. This is unfortunate given that during the harvest season, which is now, Carno can make up to 10 deliveries.
Cirebon is one of the main shallot suppliers in West Java. The area under shallot farming in the city totals 3,658 hectares. In 2015, Cirebon’s shallot production reached 3,645 tons.
Cirebon city Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Yuyun Wahyu said that the damage to national roads along the north coast had caused businesses to suffer losses. If they were to use toll roads, there would be additional costs.
Yuyun said that he had not calculated the amount of losses that businesses had incurred. However, he was sure that the amount was not small because losses tended to lead to more losses.
West Java Area I National Road Enforcement Workforce head Amri had previously said that the damaged roads were currently being repaired along the northern coastal highway by patching potholes. He said that more comprehensive repairs would be done at the end of February, in accordance with the road works contract.
Low price
Road damage on the northern coastal highway was also found in Central Java and East Java. Because of the disrupted distribution of goods caused by road damage, rice farmers in a number of areas had suffered from low selling prices for unhusked rice due to its poor quality. In Demak regency, Central Java, while for the last few days the weather has been bright and the price of dry unhusked rice (GKP) has started to climb back up, it is still considered low.
On Wednesday, the price of GKP at the farmers’ level had risen slightly to Rp 3,100 per kilogram. Last week it was around Rp 2,300 per kg.
In Banyuwangi regency, East Java, yesterday, the price of GKP for mill owners buying from farmers was higher than that in Demak at Rp 4,000 per kg.
Mill owners reported that the low quality of the rice had forced them to lower the price they would pay farmers for unhusked rice. The rainy season has also caused operational costs related to drying rice to rise.
Edi Swarsono, 49, who owns Sumber Makmur rice mill in Kemiren, Glagah district, said that harvesting in the rainy season meant some of the grains were empty. “One quintal of unhusked rice will maybe only produce 50 kg of rice,” he said.
Subadi, a farmer in Kemiren village, can do nothing but accept the unilaterally decided price.
Farmers in Pinrang regency, South Sulawesi and Polewali Mandar regency, West Sulawesi, have also complained about falling prices. It is feared that prices will continue to fall ahead of the main harvest. Wholesalers argue that the high water content has caused the price of unhusked rice to be low.
Some farmers say that at the start of the harvest, the price of dry unhusked rice was around Rp 4,500 per kg. However, as the harvest progressed and supply started to become abundant, the price slowly fell to its current price of Rp 4,000 per kg. The government’s base buying price (HPP) for dry unhusked rice is Rp 3,750 per kg.
“The price is still above the HPP, but at Rp 4,000 per kilogram, our profit margin is narrow. Traders always say that the water content is high and production is abundant,” said Ahmad, a farmer in Maminasae sub-district, Paleteang district, Pinrang.
At the moment, areas in South Sulawesi are harvesting, including Pinrang, Sidenreng Rappang and Wajo. Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, is also harvesting.
Quickly buying
With regard to the price of unhusked rice being unprofitable for farmers, the government will ask state logistics firm Perum Bulog to quickly buy the farmers’ rice. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita in Jakarta said that the Trade Ministry, in cooperation with the Agriculture Ministry, was monitoring areas affected by flooding. The rice of farmers in those areas would be bought quickly.
At the moment the government was still working on a regulation regarding the water content of unhusked rice. The government plans to raise the water content of unhusked rice so that Bulog can absorb the farmers’ rice.
Regarding distribution, Enggartiasto added that the Trade Ministry gave its assurances that food distribution will continue smoothly. Since December last year, the government had asked distributors to supply the food needs of every region. The ministry had coordinated with the regional inflation control team to anticipate price hikes for staple foods.
(IKI/WHO/EGI/GER/REN/HEN)
