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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesian Farmers Protest Plummeting Egg and Chicken Prices with 'Egg Bath'

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Egg and broiler farmers in Indonesia's Soloraya region protested the sharp decline in their selling prices, holding a "egg bath" demonstration.
  • Farmers reported selling prices for broiler chickens at Rp 12,500/kg and eggs at Rp 16,500/kg, significantly below government reference prices and their production costs.
  • They are demanding answers on why reference prices are being lowered while production costs, including feed, are rising, leading to substantial daily losses.

Dozens of egg and broiler farmers from the Soloraya region in Indonesia staged a protest, including a symbolic "egg bath," at the Gladak roundabout in Solo. They distributed live chickens and boiled eggs to the public to voice their anger over plummeting farm-gate prices for their products.

Logically, if the price of raw materials rises, why is the reference price for selling eggs being lowered? We need an answer.

— Chris Handrika Immanuel RaharjoQuestioning the government's pricing policies.

Protest coordinator Chris Handrika Immanuel Raharjo stated that current selling prices for broiler chickens are only Rp 12,500 per kilogram, far below the government's reference price of Rp 19,500. Egg prices are similarly low, fetching Rp 16,500 per kilogram compared to the reference price of Rp 19,500, and even lower than a newly set reference price of Rp 24,000. "Logically, if the price of raw materials rises, why is the reference price for selling eggs being lowered? We need an answer," Raharjo said.

We farmers really hope that when it becomes a single door, the price will be cheap, but we are surprised that in the last six months, the price of raw materials like soybean meal has increased by up to Rp 2,000.

— Chris Handrika Immanuel RaharjoExpressing concern over rising feed costs despite import policies.

The farmers are also struggling with soaring feed costs. Despite the government's single-door import policy for raw materials, the price of soybean meal has increased by Rp 2,000 in the last six months. Corn prices are also high, reaching Rp 6,800 to Rp 7,000 per kilogram, exceeding the government's reference price of Rp 5,500. This situation results in significant losses, with farmers losing Rp 9,000 to Rp 10,000 per kilogram of eggs produced, as their cost of production is around Rp 26,000 per kilogram.

If eggs are subject to market operations (when expensive), why isn't corn (when expensive) being addressed? There is an imbalance and injustice for us.

— Chris Handrika Immanuel RaharjoHighlighting perceived policy inconsistencies.

Farmers criticize the government's inconsistent policies, noting that market operations are quickly implemented when egg prices are high but absent when prices fall. They are calling for fair regulations to address the imbalance and prevent further financial ruin, especially for small-scale farmers who are struggling to cope with rising electricity, vaccine, and labor costs.

The government is rarely present when prices are low. But when prices are high, they quickly conduct market operations. We hope for fair regulations.

— Chris Handrika Immanuel RaharjoCriticizing the government's reactive approach to price fluctuations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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