Amran Announces Good News for Layer Chicken Farmers, Wait 3 More Days
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Minister of Agriculture and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Amran Sulaiman, has emphasised that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme must not be disrupted despite any field issues. According to him, if there is corruption in the programme, the perpetrators must be firmly dealt with, including imprisonment.
Amran stated that MBG serves as a driver of the rural economy and absorber of farmers’ and breeders’ production, including chicken eggs, whose prices have recently dropped at the farm level.
“Does that make sense? So MBG must not be disturbed. This is the engine driving the rural economy. If there are mistakes, yes, we fix them. If there is corruption, we arrest them. We put them in prison. And that is the commitment of the President (Prabowo Subianto). Does that make sense?” said Amran during the Food Self-Sufficiency Dialogue broadcast live on the official YouTube channel of the Ministry of Agriculture, Wednesday (13/5/2026).
He conveyed that the government has asked the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to increase the portion of egg consumption in the MBG menu to absorb breeders’ production and lift egg prices closer to the government’s Reference Selling Price (HAP) of Rp26,500 per kg at the producer level, and a maximum of Rp30,000 per kg at the consumer level.
“This is the brilliance of MBG. MBG is an off-taker for farmers’ production, 160 million farmers. This becomes an off-taker. We have asked the head of BGN to increase egg consumption, which was previously once a week, to twice. Insha’Allah, perhaps next week, or in 5 days, or 3 days, the price will rise again (closer to HAP). Because 60 million people are consuming,” he said.
According to Amran, the absorption pattern through MBG has previously been done when chicken egg prices dropped. At that time, the frequency of egg menus was increased, boosting demand and lifting prices back up.
“Previously, when it dropped a bit, we immediately increased (the egg menu), from once a week to twice. If the price hasn’t returned to HAP, make it three times (egg menus in a week in MBG),” he explained.
Amran also refuted the notion that the MBG programme is run for political interests. He views the programme as a long-term investment to create a healthier and higher-quality generation.
“Children who are well-nourished. This is a long-term investment. In terms of politics, it is not beneficial. Why? Children in the womb do not yet have voting rights (in the presidential election),” he concluded.