Wet Markets Restoration: Tangerang, West Java, Indonesia

By Barrie | December 20th, 2006 | No Comments

I get really pissed off when I read about big business and conglomerates crushing the little guy who really just wants to make a living to support his family. It is happening around the world, and in Indonesia, at Tangerang.

Traditional markets cannot compete with big supermarket prices. However, plans are underfoot to restore the traditional markets in an effort to give the vendors a competitive edge.

Tangerang to restore wet markets

In an effort to improve the competitiveness of its business premises, Tangerang regency market operator plans to renovate three of its largest markets in Tigaraksa, Serpong and Curug districts.

Eman Sulaeman, the head of regency market operator PD Pasar Niaga Kerta Rahardja, said that thousands of kiosks in traditional markets had been emptied of traders who could not survive the growing competition with convenience stores and supermarkets in the regency.

Some 2,731 of the 3,177 kiosks in 22 traditional markets in the regency had been vacated by traders.

“Most of the traders claimed they were unable to compete with modern stores,” he said.

He said the regency’s traditional markets had been poorly managed and were in urgent need of renovation.

Seventy-five percent of the renovation work at Curug and Serpong markets has been completed, while work at Tigaraksa market has been hampered by a dispute over who owns the land.

Eman said the three markets would be transformed into semi-modern markets as the company had decided not to build any more traditional markets in the regency.

Source: The Jakarta Post