POULTRYINDONESIA, Yogyakarta — The 2026 National Chicken and Egg Day (HATN) served as an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of chicken and eggs as sources of animal protein for the public, while strengthening the strategic role of the poultry industry in supporting food security, nutrition, and human resource development in Indonesia. This spirit was reflected in the “Protein Up: Exploring New Opportunities for Indonesia’s Poultry Industry” event, held at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKH UGM), Yogyakarta, on September 9, 2026.

In his remarks, Ricky Bangsaratoe, Head of Promotion, Exhibitions, and Nutrition Campaigns at PINSAR Indonesia, representing the Chairman of PINSAR Indonesia, said that HATN is not merely a celebration but also part of a collective movement to raise public awareness of the importance of animal protein, particularly chicken and eggs.

“National Chicken and Egg Day is not merely a celebration, but also part of a collective movement to increase public understanding of the importance of animal protein, particularly chicken meat and eggs, for health and improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources,” Ricky said.

According to him, chicken and eggs are high-quality sources of animal protein that are widely available and relatively affordable for various segments of society. Therefore, the poultry industry plays an important role in the lives of Indonesians.

“The poultry sector has a highly strategic role, not only in meeting national food and nutritional needs, but also in supporting economic growth and sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people involved throughout the poultry industry’s value chain,” he continued.

In this context, the theme “Protein Up: Exploring New Opportunities for Indonesia’s Poultry Industry” is highly relevant for examining how the industry can continue to grow while responding to changing consumer needs and market dynamics.

Ricky said that the various topics discussed during the event—from the implementation of cage-free systems and poultry disease prevention strategies to feed management, nutritional efficiency, and developments in housing technology—are important elements in building a more advanced, healthy, efficient, sustainable, and competitive Indonesian poultry industry.

Speakers at the national seminar included Sandi Dwiyanto, Lead of Supply Chain at the Lever Foundation; Ir. Arif Afiata Rahmat, S.Pt., IPP, Layer Farm Manager at PT Widodo Makmur Unggas Tbk; Prof. Dr. drh. Michael Haryadi Wibowo, MP., Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada; drh. Henri E. Prasetyo, M.Vet., Nutritionist & Business Development Manager at DMC; and drh. Kokot Februhadi, Sales Specialist at Kaleter.

Ricky emphasized that the advancement of the poultry industry cannot be achieved by any single party. Collaboration among farmers, the government, academics, businesses, animal health professionals, communities, and the public is essential to ensure that the industry continues to grow and deliver broader benefits.

Universities are also considered to play an important role in generating innovations and research that can be applied by the industry, while preparing human resources capable of addressing the needs and challenges of the poultry sector in the future.

“We hope this seminar will not stop at being a forum for exchanging knowledge. More importantly, we hope this event will open up opportunities for collaboration, generate new ideas, and encourage concrete actions to strengthen the national poultry industry while increasing animal protein consumption among Indonesians,” Ricky said.

He also encouraged the younger generation, particularly university students, to view the poultry sector as an industry with extensive opportunities for development, ranging from farming, animal health, technology, nutrition, and food processing to marketing and entrepreneurship.

Through the 2026 HATN celebration, the message goes beyond the importance of consuming chicken and eggs as sources of animal protein. The occasion also serves as a reminder that behind every chicken and egg product lies an industry value chain involving farmers, animal health professionals, academics, business operators, workers, and many other stakeholders. Therefore, strengthening the poultry industry must be a collective effort so that it can meet the public’s protein needs while creating an industry that is healthy, efficient, innovative, sustainable, and competitive.