Poultry farmers take to the streets as egg prices plunge
Thousands of farmers in Central Java, Jogjakarta and South Sulawesi staged simultaneous protests on Monday, calling on the government to take immediate steps to address the crisis and improve conditions for poultry producers.
Poultry farmers across Central Java, Jogjakarta, and South Sulawesi took to the streets on Monday, protesting the sharp decline in egg prices and the rising costs of feed. The protests were organized simultaneously in major cities like Kendal, where around 1,200 farmers gathered at the town square. To show their solidarity with local residents, the farmers distributed 15,000 live hens free of charge.
The crisis stems from egg prices plummeting to between Rp 19,000 and Rp 20,000 per kilogram, far below the ideal price of Rp 26,500. Simultaneously, feed costs have surged by 25 percent, primarily due to the weakening rupiah, which has made imported soybean meal more expensive, and declining domestic corn production during the ongoing dry season.
Suwardi, chairman of the Kendal-based Unggas Sejahtera Cooperative, emphasized that feed constitutes around 70 percent of production costs for laying hens, making the situation extremely challenging for farmers. He called on the government to swiftly address the issue by reducing feed prices and ensuring egg prices remain sustainable for poultry producers.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
