Staple Food Prices in Batam Remain High, Residents Begin to Reorganise Spending

The prices of a number of staple foods in Batam City remain difficult to bring down as of mid-June 2026. This situation is causing some residents to reorganise their spending on daily kitchen needs.

The pressure on staple food prices is in line with Batam’s inflation, which has tended to increase since the beginning of 2026. Batam’s annual inflation was recorded at 2.74 per cent in January, 3.13 per cent in February and March, 3.26 per cent in April, and then rose to around 3.99 per cent in May 2026.

Several food commodities such as rice, eggs, chicken meat, vegetables, chillies, onions, and fish remain a concern for the public. Although some prices fluctuate, overall staple food prices have not shown a significant decline.

One consumer, Cece (45), admitted that she now compares prices at several stalls more often before buying kitchen necessities. “Now you can’t just buy in one place. I look around first to see which is cheaper, because even a small difference still affects daily shopping,” she said when met at Cipta Puri market on Thursday (18/6).

Another consumer, Hasyim (40), said the price increases have made him prefer to buy staple goods in limited quantities. “Now I just shop enough, as long as the main needs are met. If you buy everything in bulk, expenses swell,” he said.

Meanwhile, a staple goods trader at Nagoya market in Lubuk Baja District, Yuk Siah (33), mentioned that the prices of several commodities still fluctuate depending on supply from distributors. “So everything depends on the distributor. If supply is smooth, prices can drop a little. But if goods are difficult to bring in or demand rises, prices quickly go up again. We traders only adjust prices from suppliers,” she said.

According to traders, commodities such as chillies, onions, and vegetables are among those whose prices change the fastest. Meanwhile, rice, eggs, and chicken meat tend to remain at high levels.

The acting head of the Batam City Trade and Industry Office (Disperindag) has not yet provided a statement regarding the condition of these staple food prices. As of the writing of this report, Disperindag was not yet willing to comment.

Residents hope that the supply of staple goods remains smooth so that market prices can be more stable. As of Thursday, 18 June 2026, staple food prices in Batam generally remain high and have not shown a significant overall decline.