Indonesia’s rice prices rise across distribution chain in October
The National Food Agency linked the increases to seasonally lower production and said Bulog was distributing rice to stabilise supplies and prices.
Rice became more expensive at Indonesian mills, wholesalers and retailers in October 2026, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Average retail prices reached Rp15,765 per kilogram, up 0.08 per cent from the previous month and 4.10 per cent from a year earlier.
The National Food Agency (Bapanas) attributed the increases partly to lower domestic output outside the main harvest season. Speaking on 3 November, Andriko Noto Susanto, the agency’s deputy for consumption diversification and food safety, said production in October through December tended to be below levels during the main harvest, usually in February or March.
BPS recorded an average mill-level price of Rp14,365 per kilogram, a monthly increase of 0.26 per cent and an annual rise of 6.89 per cent. Wholesale rice averaged Rp14,994 per kilogram, increasing 0.01 per cent month on month and 5.13 per cent year on year.
By quality, premium rice at mills rose 0.01 per cent over the month and 11.32 per cent over the year. Medium-grade rice increased 0.35 per cent and 5.57 per cent respectively, BPS deputy for distribution and services statistics Ateng Hartono said.
Andriko said Bapanas had tasked Perum Bulog with distributing rice under the SPHP supply and price stabilisation programme. The intervention was intended to maintain availability and restrain price increases, particularly to keep food affordable for lower-income households.
He also said El Nino could have an effect, but considered its influence relatively small compared with the seasonal production pattern.
