TULUNGAGUNG – Rising food prices at Pasar Ngemplak have started to pressure local traders, with several staple commodities recording noticeable increases over the past week.
Merchants at the traditional market in Tulungagung said higher prices have forced them to spend more on daily stock purchases. The increase affects onions, meat, eggs, cooking oil, and several other household staples.
Market data from the East Java basic commodity price monitoring system, known as Siskaperbapo, also showed upward trends between May 11 and May 17. Traders said the situation became more visible during the past week as supply costs continued to rise.
Tri, a spice trader at Pasar Ngemplak, said shallots experienced one of the sharpest price increases.
Retail shallot prices now reach Rp 50,000 per kilogram, compared with Rp 39,000 per kilogram a week earlier. Garlic currently sells for Rp 38,000 per kilogram, while red bird’s eye chili stands at Rp 24,000 per kilogram.
Premium rice prices also increased slightly to Rp 15,500 per kilogram from Rp 15,000 previously. However, traders said prices for rice and large red chilies remain relatively stable compared with other commodities.
“We cannot avoid these market price increases,” Tri said.
“Our purchasing costs continue to rise, especially for shallots. We need extra capital to buy the same amount of goods, while retail sales move more slowly,” she added.
Another trader, Supri, who sells spices in bulk at the same market, reported similar conditions. He currently sells shallots for Rp 48,000 per kilogram to maintain cash flow stability.
According to Supri, supply distribution from producing regions has slowed in recent days. He warned that prolonged disruptions could weaken traders’ sales turnover.
“Market prices have increased almost everywhere this week,” Supri said.
“We started feeling the impact when supply deliveries from producing areas became less smooth. If this situation continues, our sales turnover could decline further,” he added.
Price increases also hit the meat sector. Teguh, a beef trader, said rear-leg beef now costs Rp 127,000 per kilogram. Last week, the same product sold for around Rp 124,500 per kilogram.
“Market prices clearly increased, and our operating costs also climbed because slaughterhouse prices are already high,” Teguh explained.
Chicken prices also rose during the same period. Siti, a poultry trader, now sells broiler chicken meat for Rp 38,000 per kilogram, up from Rp 35,500 previously.
She said higher prices from suppliers have reduced traders’ profit margins.
In the grocery sector, retailer Munawaroh said packaged cooking oil now costs Rp 22,000 per liter. Previously, the product sold for Rp 21,500 per liter.
White crystal sugar rose to Rp 18,000 per kilogram from Rp 17,500. Meanwhile, chicken egg prices jumped to Rp 28,000 per kilogram from Rp 26,500.
Munawaroh believes cooking oil and sugar prices remain manageable for consumers. However, egg prices have significantly increased traders’ daily capital needs.
“Almost no products remain at their old prices,” she said.
“Cooking oil and sugar are still manageable, but our revolving capital for grocery stock has become much heavier,” Munawaroh added.
Traders now hope supply distribution will return to normal soon to prevent further increases in staple food prices across local markets.