<div id="readability-page-1"><div><figure><div><div><p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/mfT8BcSCZAtTj._mO7x4mw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com.sg/26a46706b769e5162cd7f67c68a2bea8?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="768" height="512" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/mfT8BcSCZAtTj._mO7x4mw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com.sg/26a46706b769e5162cd7f67c68a2bea8"/></p></div></div><p></p><figcaption>Indonesians eat a hot sauce known as sambal with just about every meal (Yasuyoshi CHIBA)</figcaption><p></p></figure><p>Monthly inflation in Indonesia doubled in May, driven by food prices and particularly chilli in the hot sauce-addicted country, the BPS statistics agency said Tuesday.</p><p>Month-on-month inflation rose to 0.28 percent, more than double the April number, Statistics Indonesia official Pudji Ismartini told reporters in Jakarta.</p><p>Inflation for food, beverages and tobacco was the biggest contributor, she said.</p><p>&#34;The dominant commodities driving inflation in this category are red chilli peppers, with an inflation contribution of 0.08 percent; cooking oil and shallots, each contributing 0.04 percent; tomatoes at 0.03 percent; and rice, 0.02 percent,&#34; she told a press conference.</p><p>Indonesians eat a hot sauce known as sambal made of chilli, garlic, shallots and aromatics with just about every meal.</p><p>&#34;These commodities do indeed fall into the category of volatile goods prices,&#34; added Pudji.</p><p>&#34;It is seasonal in nature because of major religious holidays, among other things, which become one of the triggers for changes in public demand.&#34;</p><p>Year-to-year inflation stood at 3.08 percent, and 1.35 percent year-to-date, the official said.</p><p>The country’s central bank, Bank Indonesia, has set an inflation target of 2.5 percent for this year and next, with a deviation of one percentage point either way.</p><p>The Indonesian economy grew 5.61 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 -- the strongest expansion since the third quarter of 2022, according to the BPS.</p><p>However, the country’s currency has plunged to over 17,800 rupiah against the dollar, an all-time low, which the central bank has blamed on global tensions and seasonal factors, including strong dollar demand for corporate dividend payments and hajj pilgrims travelling abroad.</p><p>dsa/mlr/fox</p></div></div>

EIDO

<p>Indonesia's monthly inflation doubled to 0.28% in May, driven primarily by volatile food prices, especially red chilli peppers due to seasonal demand for sambal. Year-on-year inflation stood at 3.08%, exceeding the central bank's 2.5% target. While the economy grew 5.61% in Q1 2026, the rupiah hit an all-time low against the dollar amid global tensions and seasonal currency demands.</p>

- Indonesia's monthly inflation doubled in May, driven by rising food prices as reported by the BPS statistics bureau.  
- The 0.28% month-over-month inflation rate was mainly due to increases in the prices of red chili, cooking oil, and onions.  
- Indonesia's annual inflation rate stands at 3.08%, with the central bank targeting an inflation rate of 2.5% for this year and next, despite a depreciation of the Indonesian rupiah against the US dollar.

Chilli price drives Indonesia's monthly inflation