Dirjen Hortikultura: Harga Cabai Rawit Mahal Akibat Ulah Pengepul
Indonesian Big Traders of Cayenne Pepper Arrested for Monopolistic Prices
Reporter : Gusmiati Waris
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Cirebon, Jawa Barat (B2B) - Kementerian Pertanian RI menyatakan melonjaknya harga cabai rawit di tingkat konsumen yang mencapai lebih Rp120.000 per kg akibat ulah pengepul besar, yang memborong hasil produksi petani untuk memenuhi kebutuhan industri padahal harga Rp40.000 sudah membuat petani senang.
Saat ini Kepolisian RI (Polri) telah mengamankan sembilan pengepul cabai rawit dan tiga di antaranya ditetapkan sebagai tersangka.
Dirjen Hortikultura Spudnik Sujono mengatakan ulah para pengepul cabai rawit mengakibatkan pasokan ke pasar bekurang setelah diborong oleh industri, sehingga pengaruh cuaca tidak signifikan mempengaruhi produksi dan harga cabai rawit.
"Kalau cuaca yang menjadi pemicu kurangnya pasokan maka seharusnya produksi cabai lainnya juga terpengaruh. Cuaca memang berpengaruh tapi tidak signifikan karena harga cabai lainnya malahan cenderung turun," kata Spudnik kepada pers di Cirebon pada Rabu (8/3).
Dia menambahkan, Polri sudah menangkap sembilan pengepul cabai rawit dan tiga di antaranya sudah ditetapkan sebagai tersangka, dan saat ini masih menjalan proses pemeriksaan di Bareskrim Polri.
"Pemerintah menetapkan harga batas atas di retail untuk cabai rawit merah Rp28 ribu dan cabai keriting Rp27 ribuan per kg. Bagi pemerintah, petani harus untung, tapi pemerintah juga harus menjaga harga di tingkat konsumen karena ada batas harga tertinggi, dan kalau melampaui harga batas atas maka Kementerian Perdagangan akan menerapkan kebijakan impor," kata Spudnik usai menyaksikan panen raya perdana bawang merah di Cirebon.
Ditangkap Polisi
Sebelumnya diberitakan, Jumat (3/3), Direktorat Tindak Pidana Ekonomi dan Khusus (Dittipideksus) Mabes Polri bekerja sama Ditjen Hortikultura Kementerian Pertanian RI dan Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha (KPPU) mengungkap tindak kecurangan yang dilakukan pengepul cabai rawit merah.
“Berdasar penyidikan didapati cabai rawit merah sebanyak 50 ton. Harusnya didistribusikan ke Pasar Induk, namun 80 persennya lari ke beberapa perusahaan,” kata Kasubdit Industri dan Perdagangan Tipideksus Kombespol Hengki Haryadi.
Menurutnya, para pelaku melakukan monopoli harga cabai rawit merah dengan jumlah puluhan ton setelah membeli dari petani yang kemudian disuplai kepada beberapa perusahaan tanpa melalui mekanisme pasar. Akibatnya, cabai rawit merah nyaris menghilang di Pasar Induk Kramat Jati, dan kalau pun tersedia harganya terlanjur melambung.
"Harga acuan cabai rawit merah di tingkat konsumen sekitar Rp29 ribu tapi mereka jual hingga Rp180 ribuan per kg kepada beberapa perusahaan maupun pedagang," kata Direktur Penindakan KPPU, Goprera Panggabean.
Para pengepul tersebut dijerat dengan UU Larangan Monopoli dan Persaingan Usaha Tidak Sehat No 5/1999 dan UU Perdagangan RI No 7/2014.
Cirebon, West Java (B2B) - Indonesian Agriculture Ministry declared cayenne pepper prices at the consumer level rose more than 120,000 rupiah per kg after the big traders to hoard of stocks, and then sell it to the industry, while the cayenne pepper prices 40,000 rupiah per kg has been profitable for farmers.
Currently the National Police (Polri) have arrested nine big traders of chili, and three of them were named as suspects.
Director General of Horticulture Spudnik Sujono said illegal actions resulted big traders supply to the market is reduced, because whole supply to meet the needs of the industry, it means chili prices rose not because of weather impacts.
"If the weather effects that trigger lack of supply, and should the price of other agricultural products also rose. The weather does affect but not significant for other chili prices tends to go down," Mr Sujono told the press here on Wednesday (March 8).
He added that the Polri had arrested nine big traders and three of them have been named as a suspect, and are currently still being investigated at the Criminal Investigation Police.
"The government set a limit retail price highest for red chili sauce of 28 thousand rupiah, and chilli curls of 27 thousand per kg. For government, the farmers should profitable, also should keep prices at the consumer level because there is a limit highest prices, and the trade ministry will apply the import policy if chili prices is very expensive," Mr Sujono said after the shallot harvest here.
The Illegal Actions
Previously it was reported on Friday (March 3), the Polri's Directorate of Economic Crime and Special Crime and Directorate General of Horticulture with Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) uncover illegal acts of chili big traders.
"The police get evidence of red chili sauce as much as 50 tons. Supposed to be supplied to the central market, but 80 percent is supplied to several companies," said Commissioner Hengki Haryadi.
According to him, they had a monopoly price after buying from farmers, which is then supplied to several companies without going through the market mechanism. It resulted in a red cayenne prices soared in East Jakarta's Kramat Jati Central Market.
"The standard price red chili sauce at the consumer level is about 29 thousand rupiah per kg, but they sell up to 180 thousand rupiah per kg to several companies and retailers," said Director for Enforcement of the KPPU, Goprera Panggabean.
The big traders are snared by Prohibition of Monopolistic and Unfair Competition Law Number 5/1999 and Indonesian Trade Law Number 7/2014. ($1 = 13,368.00 rupiah).