January inflation surpasses 7% on soaring rice, chili prices
Esther Samboh, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 02/01/2011 2:02 PM | Business
Indonesia’s annual consumer prices index (CPI) surpassed the 7 percent level in January, as pressure remained heavy from surging food prices, mainly those of rice and chili, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) says.
Month-to-month headline inflation was 0.89 percent, bringing the year-on-year rate to 7.02 percent, BPS chairman Rusman Heriawan said Tuesday.
“The biggest contributors were rice and chili, at 0.11 percent each, accounting for 0.22 percent of the total January inflation of 0.89 percent. Chili is extraordinary. It’s literally hot,” Rusman told a news conference at his office in Jakarta .
Other significant contributors include red onions (0.07 percent), house rent (0.06 percent), cooking oil (0.05 percent), tourism (0.03 percent).
“But the continuous increase in Pertamax fuel prices has also contributed 0.02 percent to January’s inflation,” he said.
Overall, volatile food prices contributed most to January’s inflation, increasing by 18.25 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, administered prices and core inflation remained manageable at 5.21 percent and 18.25 percent
