VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) noted that the daily nominal wage of national farm laborers in March 2018 rose by 0.43 percent compared to February 2018. Head of BPS Kecuk Suhariyanto told a press conference in Jakarta on Monday April 16, 2018 that the daily nominal wage increase of farm laborers is also followed by inflation of 0.12 percent or 0.31 percent less than the increase in daily nominal wage of farm laborers.

“The wages of farm laborers in March 2018 amounted to 51,598 rupiah per day per person, if we compare with February, there is an increase of 0.43 percent. It should be noted that in March inflation in rural areas was 0.12 percent, so inflation was lower than nominal wages. The real wages of farm laborers in March also increased,” Kecuk Suhariyanto said.

Kecuk Suhariyanto also explained that the difference of 0.31 percent between the daily nominal wage of farm laborers and the inflation in rural areas caused the daily real wage of farm laborers to increase from 37,486 rupiah per day to Rp37,602 per day. The real wages of the workers illustrate the purchasing power of income or wages received by workers. The real wage is the ratio between nominal wage and household consumption index. Kecuk Suhariyanto expected inflation to be under control so that people's purchasing power, especially in rural areas, is not disturbed, especially before Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitri festivity. (VOI/REZA/trans-Rezha/DP)