Indonesians seek cheaper food as Ramadan nears

Many queue at govt-subsidised bazaars to save money, amid rising prices of staples like rice

- Linda Yulisman

Across the nation, Indonesians are queueing for rice, sugar and other staples to try and beat rising prices ahead of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on March 12.

A poor rice harvest has caused prices to spike, prompting the government to import the staple to ensure sufficient supplies during the fasting month. But that has not stopped people from queueing at traditional markets and government food-subsidised looking to save money bazaars, The price of premium rice hit an all-time high of 18,000 rupiah (S$1.50) per kg at the end of February, according to traders.

In Jakarta, residents, mostly women, have been queueing at government offices and fields used as distribution centres by state logistics agency Bulog and the Agriculture Ministry, where staples are sold at below market price.

A 5kg bag of rice is sold at 59,500 rupiah, or 11,900 rupiah per kg, at these centres, while at traditional markets, the price is around 14,000 rupiah per kg as at March 7.

A litre of cooking oil costs 14,000 rupiah, around 14 per cent cheaper than in traditional markets.

Queues form hours before deliveries arrive at the government-run distribution centres, where residents are limited to one bag of rice, 1 litre of cooking oil and 1kg of sugar. At some supermarkets, shoppers are limited to one 2.5kg pack of rice.