Indonesians are forced to find ways to compensate increasing food price as prices skyrocket irrationally.

As Indonesia has been experiencing a prolonged rainy season, lasting for a whole year of 2010 and early months of 2011, some vegetables are not available in the markets.

The food shortage triggers increasing food price, forcing people to find ways to save their hard-earned money for other needs.

Syamsul, 50, a vegetable vendor in a traditional market, told Xinhua that due the increasing food price, his turnover has been decreasing. "People try to reduce purchasing some vegetables such as red hot chili. They halve their spending on all vegetables due to the price hike. As the consequence, my turnover had been decreased by 20 percent," said Syamsul.

According to him, red hot chili price stays at 90,000 rupiah (about 10.2 U.S. dollars) per kilogram for several months from about 50,000 rupiah (about 5.68 dollars) at normal price.

"We dub red hot chili as 'devil chili' due to its skyrocketing price," said Syamsul. Fortunately, he said that consumers have an option to buy imported red hot chili pricing 70,000 rupiah (about 7.9 dollars).

"Still, it is expensive for ordinary people," he said.

He said that price of red onion has been increasing to 24,000 rupiah (about 2.7 dollars) from normal price of 20,000 rupiah (about 2.27 dollars).