Rupiah Under Pressure, Ministry of Trade Ensures Food Prices Remain Stable: Egg Supply in Surplus
Jakarta — The weakening of the Rupiah, which has breached the psychological level of Rp18,000 per US Dollar, has raised concerns regarding potential price surges for basic necessities and imported raw materials. However, the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) has ensured that the national food situation remains controlled and market supplies are secure.
The Minister of Trade, Budi Santlar, stated that the government has not yet received any reports of significant food price volatility resulting from the currency pressure. When questioned regarding the potential price increases for imported commodities such as soybeans, Budi emphasised that government monitoring data still indicates relatively stable conditions.
“Not yet; if you check the SP2KP (Basic Needs Market Monitoring System), prices are stable,” Budi Santoso said at the Ministry of Trade Office in Central Jakarta on Thursday, 4 June 2026.
This statement comes amidst public concern that the depreciation of the Rupiah will directly impact food prices, particularly for commodities that rely heavily on imported raw materials. Nevertheless, Budi acknowledged that certain sectors are beginning to feel the pressure due to exchange rate volatility, including components with high dependency on imported goods, such as spare parts.
“Yes, because that is the current situation,” he remarked when responding to questions regarding the rising cost of spare parts.
To anticipate a broader impact, the Ministry of Trade admitted it is continuously monitoring the distribution of goods and the supply of imported raw materials to prevent disruptions that could lead to scarcity or price spikes.
“First, we are monitoring both distribution and the importation of raw materials; we are in constant communication with producers to ensure there are no disruptions and that stocks do not run out,” Budi said.
He noted that the government’s primary focus is to maintain the smoothness of the supply chain so that exchange rate pressures are not directly translated into price increases at the consumer level. Budi even mentioned that several commodities are currently in a surplus state. One example provided was chicken eggs, which are currently experiencing an oversupply despite production costs being affected by the rising price of feed raw materials.
“So, I am conveying to everyone that stocks of basic necessities are normal; in fact, even eggs are in surplus. Even though the raw materials [for feed] are certainly rising, the price of eggs is actually below that,” he concluded.