Chili Peppers Lead to a Drop in Basic Commodity Prices

Chili peppers experienced the sharpest price drop among other basic necessities throughout 2017. Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the price of red chilies in November 2017 fell by more than 36 percent to Rp 36,144 per kilogram (kg) year-on-year (YoY). This was followed by chili peppers, which also decreased by 33 percent to Rp 30,870 per kg (YoY).

Meanwhile, the basic necessities that recorded the highest price increases were chicken eggs and mackerel. In November 2017, the price of chicken eggs rose by 9.85 percent to Rp 20,772 per kg (YoY), and mackerel also increased by 5.27 percent to Rp 32,583 per kg (YoY). The price of rice, however, only increased by 0.62 percent to Rp 13,429 per kg (YoY).

In November 2017, inflation was 0.2 percent compared to the previous month. Calendar year inflation (January-November) was 2.87 percent, and year-on-year (YoY) inflation was 3.3 percent.