REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEMARANG - Indonesia needed to import at least 25,000 tonnes of shallot per month until May 2013 to fill the shortage stock, the Head of Indonesian Shallot Association (ABMI), Juwari, stated.
"Our national demand is at least 32,800 tonnes per month. Meanwhile, we only have 8,000 tonnes this month. We run out of stock," he said on Saturday.
The surging price of shallot in the market is in fact due to the lack of stock. So is the farmers. They run out of shallot in their farm.
"I have checked. No one does the so-called manipulation. However, starting from May to December, we will have tonnes of shallot because it will be a harvest time," he said.
The current price of shallot is around 55,000 IDR per kilogram or almost by threefold of its regular price. Whereas garlic prices is around 65,000 per kilogram.
