Government Strengthens Food Price Controls Ahead of Eid, Ensures Safe Stock Levels
The government continues to strengthen food price controls whilst ensuring that food stock availability remains safe and sufficient, particularly ahead of the National Religious Holiday (HBKN) for Eid al-Fitr 2026.
Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti stated that the government is intensively monitoring staple food prices across various regions in the lead-up to Eid. These efforts are carried out through close coordination with various relevant parties.
“In the lead-up to Eid, several days before the holiday, we continuously monitor staple food prices in the field. I work with the Minister dividing our tasks. Today I happen to be at Mayestik Market. I am here with the local government as well, from DKI Jakarta, and also from the National Food Agency,” said Deputy Trade Minister Roro at Mayestik Market, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (17 March), according to an official statement.
“This is a form of our joint cooperation—not just monitoring prices, but also ensuring that in terms of supply it is secure, and in terms of prices, we can evaluate together,” she continued.
Based on field monitoring results, she said, prices for several strategic commodities remain stable. People’s cooking oil (Minyakita) is sold at the Maximum Retail Price (HET) at around Rp15,700 per litre. Other commodities such as chicken eggs, red shallots and garlic are also relatively stable.
However, there has been a price increase for chilli commodities, particularly for red bird’s eye chillies. In response, the government continues to strengthen cross-sector coordination to maintain price equilibrium through measured intervention.
Deputy for Food Availability and Stabilisation at the National Food Agency (Bapanas) I Gusti Ketut Astawa stressed that chilli prices are beginning to show a downward trend as supplies from production centres improve. “Chilli supply from areas such as Kediri is increasing, so prices are gradually declining. The distribution facilitation carried out by Bapanas is becoming increasingly optimal in smoothing supply to consumer areas such as Jakarta,” explained Ketut.
Based on data from the Indonesian Chilli Farmers Association, daily chilli supplies at Pare Central Market, Kediri, East Java, on 15 March 2026 increased by 66.7% for large chillies, 85% for red curly chillies and 51.4% for red bird’s eye chillies respectively.
Furthermore, he assured that nationally food availability is in a safe condition and sufficient to meet public needs during Ramadan through Eid al-Fitr.
“Overall food stocks are very secure. Rice, red shallots, garlic, beef, chicken and chicken eggs are all in very sufficient condition,” he stated.
Adequate food stock supplies are reflected in the food balance sheet projection through April 2026. A number of strategic staple food commodities are in surplus conditions, including rice availability at 27.5 million tonnes and demand of 10.3 million tonnes, resulting in a surplus of 17.2 million tonnes. For red bird’s eye chillies, availability reaches 409 thousand tonnes and demand 304 thousand tonnes, resulting in a surplus of 105 thousand tonnes.
Chicken meat availability reaches 2.07 million tonnes and demand 1.34 million tonnes, resulting in a surplus of 727 thousand tonnes. Red shallot availability is 479 thousand tonnes and demand 422 thousand tonnes, with a surplus of 57 thousand tonnes.
Bapanas Chief Andi Amran Sulaiman previously stressed that food stocks during this Eid al-Fitr HBKN period are in sufficient condition. According to him, distribution is what requires intensive supervision, particularly in the lead-up to the holiday.
For this reason, since early February 2026, his office has deployed a Special Enforcement Task Force for Price, Quality and Food Safety Violations across all regions to monitor food price conditions both in traditional markets and modern retail outlets.
Amran also stressed that his office has requested the police to take action against businesses that exploit the fasting month and Eid momentum to raise prices far above established provisions or engage in hoarding that causes supply shortages and food price fluctuations.