Editor’s Note
- Grocery prices rise dramatically in the lead-up to Ramadan
- Prices almost double compared to previous years
- Beef essential in the lead-up to Ramadan
Grocery prices rise dramatically in the lead-up to Ramadan
The prices of several food items in Medan have risen in the past week.
Prices of everything from tomatoes to beef and chicken have increased, mainly due to increased demand in the lead-up to the holy month of Ramadan.
Prices almost double compared to previous years
Gunawan Benjamin, economist and head of the North Sumatra Food Monitoring Team, reported that the price of tomatoes is currently around 15,000 Indonesian rupees per kilogram.
This figure is significantly higher than in early February, when the price was around 9,000 Indonesian rupees per kilogram.
“Tomato prices have risen in the past week. The main cause is the disruption in supply. Prices had previously fallen to 5,000 rupees per kilogram in the third week of December 2025, causing many farmers to suffer losses and switch to other crops,” Gunawan told reporters.
The rise in tomato prices was also influenced by rising prices in West Sumatra.
Beef Becomes a Necessity in the Lead-Up to Ramadan
Besides tomatoes, beef prices have also risen. According to data from the Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPS), beef prices at the Sukaramai market rose by 5,000 rupees per kilogram to 145,000 rupees per kilogram on February 13.
According to Gunawan, the beef price increase was mainly due to increased demand in the lead-up to Ramadan.
He estimates that this increase is temporary and is occurring at the retail level.
This is influenced by the habit some people have of considering beef a mandatory part of their diet in the run-up to Ramadan.
Furthermore, the floods, which resulted in the death of a number of farm animals, also contributed to a shift in demand for modern livestock farming.
“Overall, supply is still guaranteed, but demand pressure is forcing sales prices to adjust,” he concluded.
