From chillies, chicken and rice, Indonesia’s food costs surge amid free meal rollout
President Prabowo Subianto’s US$10 billion free nutritious meal programme may be stoking price pressures of food staples
Add BT as a preferred source
[JAKARTA] For the past couple of months, Bilal Hilman has been cutting back on the sambal portions in his popular dishes to cope with the surging prices of key ingredients such as red chillies, eggs and chicken.
The 38-year-old, who has a stall in Jakarta, is trying to avoid raising prices for his loyal customers. “It’s better to reduce the portions. If I increase the price, customers will surely stay away,” he remarked.
Bilal’s dilemma is echoed nationwide. Indonesia’s food inflation climbed to a 16-month high in September to 6.4 from 4.5 per cent in August.
TRENDING NOW
Tiger Brokers, Moomoo, Longbridge Singapore units ‘financially independent’ amid China crackdown: MAS
Yeo’s, Tiger Beer and now Gardenia – flight of food manufacturing from Singapore might be just as planned
Johor property old hand KSL readies family handover amid market boom
As India and China surge ahead with nuclear energy, all eyes on Asean’s next move
