Food prices hike over strong dollar

JAKARTA (JP): The current U.S. dollar rise against the rupiah has caused an increase in staple food prices here, although supplies of the commodities remain stable.

Sugar prices recorded an average 0.16 percent increase this week with prices ranging from Rp 3,700 to Rp 4,000 per kilogram, the city information bureau said on Monday.

Prices of beef soared by between 0.16 percent and 0.62 percent to between Rp 35,000 and Rp 38,000 per kilogram. Chicken prices also climbed by 0.21 percent to between Rp 11,000 and Rp 13,500 per kilogram.

According to the City's Economic Agency data, chicken eggs were sold for up to Rp 7,000 per kilogram this week, a 0.5 percent increase compared with the previous week.

Rice of the 'IR-1' variety was the only essential to suffer a decrease, falling by between 0.24 percent and 0.94 percent or between Rp 3,000 and Rp 2,400 per kilogram.

The city logistics depot revealed that 115,095 tons of rice were in store, while 2,785 head of cattle were being kept at the city slaughter house in Cakung, East Jakarta. (jun)