Onion Prices Go Off Track

The government's policies in the agriculture sector are usually reactive. It never gets down to the bottom of problems, hence the problems' frequent recurrence. The recent surge in onion price is a glaring example. The price of the kitchen staple consumed by millions of people from all walks of life has jumped from Rp20,000 to Rp40,000 per kilogram.

It is not surprising why this pungent bulb earned a spot in the palace agenda. The seemingly trivial vegetable has contributed the highest inflation among produce of its kind, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) last March. Onions contributed 0.14 percent to inflation, or around 280 percent and 700 percent higher than the inflation contributed by garlic and red chili, respectively.