Chili farmers in Timatan village, part of the Ritabou suku in the Maliana administrative post of Bobonaru municipality, cannot move their crop. The TATOLI news agency reported their complaints on 30 September 2026. The problem is price: chili brought in from Indonesian territory is selling far cheaper at the Maliana market than anything the local growers can offer. The imported peppers come from Builalu and Haikesak, two areas in Indonesia's Belu municipality in East Nusa Tenggara province. Traders move the produce across the border without passing through official channels, which makes the goods illegal under Timor-Leste's rules. Once it reaches Maliana, the cheap foreign chili undercuts the Timatan harvest and leaves farmers with unsold stock. The growers say they are struggling to sell anything while the illegal imports dominate the market stalls. Requests for help from local authorities have not been detailed in the report so far.