POULTRYINDONESIA, Yogyakarta — Animal welfare practices in the poultry industry have received increasing attention over the past several decades. One effort to promote their implementation was carried out through a seminar titled “Building Product Value Through Responsible Farming Practices,” organized by Across Species Project Indonesia (ASPI) on Thursday (10/9/2026) in Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY).

ASPI is a nonprofit initiative focused on improving the welfare of farm animals, particularly layer ducks. One of its initiatives is the establishment of the Duck Cage-Free Network, which brings together farmers who implement cage-free farming systems.

During the seminar, Rully Lesmana, Director of CV Surya Abadi Telur Asin and an exporter of duck eggs from West Java, delivered a presentation on the relationship between responsible farming practices and increasing product value in the marketing process.

According to Rully, cage-free systems have been adopted in a number of countries, including China, one of the world’s largest egg producers. He cited Xuri Egg Products, a duck egg producer from China that has marketed its products to various countries.

“Xuri has now committed to using 100 percent cage-free duck eggs for all of its export products in 2026. The leader has already reached that point and committed to exporting cage-free eggs. It makes me wonder, when will Indonesia get there?” Rully said.

This development indicates that cage-free farming practices are beginning to become part of discussions surrounding the global duck egg supply chain. However, implementation in Indonesia still faces several challenges, including increasing farmers’ understanding and developing farming systems that are suited to production conditions and the needs of ducks.

In line with this, Nuril, Producer Engagement Officer at ASPI, explained that ducks are semi-aquatic animals with webbed feet. According to her, the use of battery cages or individual cages with limited space can restrict ducks’ movement and their ability to express natural behaviors.

“In a battery cage, a duck has a space no larger than a 13-inch laptop, which is not even longer than the duck’s entire body,” Nuril said.

She added that ducks’ necks are often extended outside the cages, which can cause friction and potentially result in injuries. In addition, their webbed feet must remain in contact with bamboo or wire cage surfaces for relatively long periods.

The seminar was the third event organized by ASPI as part of its efforts to promote cage-free farming systems for layer ducks. Previously, ASPI held an introductory seminar on cage-free farming in 2025, followed by technical training in mid-2026.

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