HARIANEXPRESS – Food prices are climbing again across Indonesia as the government’s free nutritious meal program resumed nationwide this week. (24/7/2026)
The recent price surge coincides with the reopening of nearly 30,000 designated kitchens this week. This development follows students’ return to school after a three-week holiday, marking the end of the program’s temporary suspension.
Prior to its resumption, the program faced a temporary halt due to governance challenges. These included a high-profile corruption investigation and several food poisoning incidents linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship initiative.
With procurement for the program reactivated, reports nationwide indicate rising prices for commodities such as rice, vegetables, spices, eggs, and broiler chicken. Broiler chicken recorded the sharpest increase among major food items, rising over 4 percent in a week.
According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), broiler chicken prices climbed from an average of Rp 20,878 (US$1.17) per kilogram last week to Rp 21,736 on Tuesday.
Data from the National Food Agency (Bapanas) shows egg prices ranged between Rp 20,300 and Rp 28,200 per kg this week. North Sulawesi registered the country’s highest prices, exceeding the government’s retail reference price.
Analysts suggest these price increases highlight long-standing structural weaknesses within Indonesia’s food supply chain. The situation squeezes both household budgets and traders’ profits alike.
On July 16, residents were seen purchasing vegetables at a government-sponsored affordable food market in Panyileukan, Bandung, West Java. Organized by the Bandung Food Security and Agriculture Agency (DKPP), this program aims to stabilize supplies and curb inflation by offering staple foods below market prices.
