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Farmers complain of declining clove prices
Clove farmers on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), have complained about the further declining price of the commodity
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love farmers on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara(NTT), have complained about the further declining price of the commodity. Theyhave urged the government to regulate and stabilize the price of cloves on themarket.
Clove farmer Atanasius from Nirmala village, South Golewa district, Ngada regency, said the price of cloves had been set at Rp 150,000 (about US$12.50) at the farmer's level a few months ago, but dropped to Rp 130,000 this month.
'I don't know the reason for the drop in clove prices in Ngada regency. Farmers struggle to cultivate cloves and to find workers to harvest them. However, the price at the farmer's level keeps dropping,' Atanasius said on Monday.
He said farmers had difficulty in finding workers because many locals had left the regency to look for a better life.
Another farmer, Benediktus Hans, said farmers in East Manggarai preferred to stockpile cloves until the price improved.
'In previous years, the price of cloves rose after the end of the clove season when clove supplies dwindled,' he said, speculating that the trend would continue this year.
East Manggarai Trade and Cooperatives Office head Basilius Teto said the drop in clove prices was caused by market mechanisms and impacts from government campaigns on the health hazards of smoking as well as images on cigarette packs.
Data from the East Manggarai Plantation Office revealed that clove production in 2013 255 tons to 300 tons.
