Red Chili Prices Ease, Central Java Records 0.35 Percent Deflation in January 2026

Semarang, jateng.bps.go.id – Price movements of food commodities at the beginning of the year had a direct impact on economic developments in Central Java. Central Java recorded a month-to-month (m-to-m) deflation of 0.35 percent in January 2026, mainly driven by a decline in red chili prices.

This was conveyed by Wisnu Nurdiyanto, Senior Statistician of BPS Jawa Tengah Province, during an official release delivered online on Monday, 5 Februari 2026. He explained that on a year-on-year (y-on-y) basis, inflation in Central Java in January 2026 stood at 2.83 percent, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded at 109.60. The m-to-m deflation in January 2026 followed an inflation of 0.50 percent in December 2025.

The January 2026 m-to-m deflation was primarily contributed by the Food, Beverages, and Tobacco group, in line with declining prices of several food commodities, particularly red chili. The decrease in these commodity prices also affected purchasing power and household consumption in Central Java.

In the agricultural sector, the Farmers’ Terms of Trade (NTP) of Central Java in January 2026 was recorded at 114.75, down by 2.40 percent compared to the previous month’s figure of 117.57. The Household Consumption Index in Central Java in January 2026 also experienced deflation of 1.28 percent. Meanwhile, the Agricultural Business Terms of Trade (NTUP) in January 2026 stood at 119.20, declining by 3.29 percent from the previous month.

From the perspective of international trade, the value of Central Java’s exports in December 2025 reached US$1,189.60 million, an increase of 18.83 percent compared to December 2024. In contrast, the value of imports in December 2025 amounted to US$1,340.04 million, a decrease of 13.75 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. As a result, Central Java’s total trade balance in December 2025 recorded a deficit of US$150.44 million, driven by a deficit in the oil and gas sector, while the non-oil and gas sector continued to record a surplus.

In the tourism sector, the Hotel Room Occupancy Rate in Central Java in December 2025 was recorded at 38.73 percent. The occupancy rate of star-rated hotels reached 52.47 percent, while non-star hotels recorded 26.33 percent. Cumulatively, the number of domestic tourist trips to Central Java from January to December 2025 reached 146.25 million trips.

Meanwhile, in the transportation sector, the number of arriving air transport passengers to Central Java in December 2025 totaled 153,943 people, an increase of 20.99 percent. Arrivals of sea transport passengers also increased, with debarkations in December 2025 reaching 33,061 people, up 40.94 percent compared to November 2025.

These indicators provide an overview of the economic dynamics of Central Java at the beginning of 2026, influenced by developments in food prices, trade performance, as well as movements in the tourism and transportation sectors.