Chili Shortage Hits Bali, Prices Soar Ahead of Galungan Celebrations

The Bali Provincial Government is addressing the rising price of red cayenne pepper through a cheap market intervention set for February 23 at the Bajra Sandhi Renon field in Denpasar. This initiative aims to stabilize the price of basic necessities before Galungan Day on February 28. The price increase is attributed to bad weather impacting supply.

In Denpasar, red cayenne pepper prices currently range from IDR 65,000 to IDR 68,000 per kilogram, with a notable increase from the earlier price of around IDR 45,000 per kilogram. Similar price hikes are observed in other markets like Sukawati Traditional Market in Gianyar, where prices have reached around IDR 70,000 per kilogram.

The supply of red cayenne pepper is running low in several regions. Jembrana and Badung Regencies report a deficit of 15.87 tonnes and 7.7 tonnes, respectively. Tabanan, Klungkung, and Karangasem Regencies have depleted stocks, and Denpasar is experiencing low supplies with only five tons available against a weekly requirement of 5.19 tons. Conversely, Buleleng Regency has sufficient stock, with 121.4 tons available for an average weekly demand of 37 tons. Bangli and Gianyar also report sufficient supplies at 28 tons and 15.67 tons, respectively.

The average weekly demand for cayenne pepper across Bali is estimated at 162 tons.