POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta – The price of live chickens at the farm level has reportedly declined again, reaching Rp18,000–Rp18,500 per kilogram. This level is far below the government’s benchmark selling price (HAP) of Rp25,000 per kilogram.

Responding to this situation, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that he will first investigate the causes of the price drop before taking further action. Speaking to the media at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (April 7), Amran admitted he had not yet received a detailed report on price developments in the field. He assured that the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) would promptly conduct a review.

In the near future, the minister plans to summon several stakeholders within the poultry ecosystem, including feed producers, to discuss the current price conditions. “We will call in business players, especially feed mills, to ensure prices are not increased,” said Amran.

However, in situations like this, the government has actually prepared several measures to maintain stability in the poultry sector, including controlling supply and prices. “The long-term solution is to build government-owned feed mills and DOC (day-old chick) production facilities,” Amran added.

According to him, the presence of such facilities is expected to serve as a long-term solution to balance the supply chain while keeping prices affordable for smallholder farmers. The government has even allocated around Rp20 trillion to realize the construction of these feed mills and DOC facilities.

Previously, the issue surfaced after farmers complained about falling live chicken prices following the Eid al-Fitr period. The price pressure is believed to be caused by an oversupply of chickens in the market. Amid declining consumption demand after the holiday, the Free Nutritious Meal program—expected to absorb chicken production—has not yet operated optimally. This situation has led to an accumulation of oversized chickens in farmers’ cages.

Therefore, more structured government intervention is needed to control price fluctuations, so that farmers do not suffer losses while maintaining the stability of animal protein supply in the market.

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