Purworejo. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that the price of red chili peppers in traditional markets is under control, stabilizing at a reasonable range of around Rp 70,000 per kilogram ($4.5). 

The commodity holds significant importance in Indonesian cuisine as it provides a spicy kick that many Indonesians enjoy. On average, Indonesians consume around 4 kilograms of chili per capita per year.

"I am monitoring prices, especially those that have experienced a significant surge, such as bird's eye chili, which had reached Rp 120,000, as I last saw in Jakarta. Now it has dropped to Rp 70,000 here. I think this drop in chili prices is quite good," said President Jokowi during a review of food prices at the Purworejo Traditional Market, Central Java, on Tuesday.

Additionally, President Jokowi also examined the prices of rice affected by the Super El Nino climate change, causing 22 countries worldwide to halt their rice exports to various nations. He said that the implementation of the national rice reserve strategy has successfully kept rice prices under control.

"This is happening globally because, first, there is the Super El Nino climate change; 22 countries have stopped rice exports, causing fluctuations in rice and food prices worldwide, affecting all countries," said Jokowi.

The President assured that the increase in rice prices in Indonesia is not as severe as in other countries, thanks to supply control strategies at the Logistics Agency (Bulog) warehouses in various regions.

As of the end of 2023, President Jokowi reported that the national rice reserves had reached 1.4 million tons, and this quantity will continue to be augmented through rice imports from various countries.

"We can control it because Bulog's current stock is very good," Jokowi said.