Food Businesses Complain About Rising Egg and Chicken Prices
Food business operators in Cirebon have complained about the rising prices of eggs and broiler chicken. They have had to make a number of adjustments as a result.
“This morning I accompanied my wife shopping at the market. I was surprised that the prices of chicken and eggs have gone up again,” said Abdul Ghofar, a home catering business operator in Cirebon, on Monday (31/8).
Based on food price data for Cirebon Regency on Monday (31/8), the price of fresh broiler eggs was recorded at Rp25,850 per kilogram. That price increased by Rp950, or 3.82%, compared with the previous price.
Meanwhile, broiler chicken meat is now being sold at Rp40,000 per kilogram.
Ghofar explained that the increase in egg and chicken prices has become a particular burden for the catering business he runs. This is because both commodities are food ingredients used in various catering menus.
“If raw material prices rise, of course the cost of preparing orders also rises. Chicken and eggs are often used for catering menus,” he said.
In fact, a number of orders have already been received, and some of them have been paid in cash. “But at the old price. Now the price has changed again,” said Ghofar.
When that happens, he continued, they have to adjust their ingredient shopping costs. “We cannot simply change the price for customers. What we can do is adjust our ingredient shopping costs,” he said.
Chicken and eggs are ingredients that are quite frequently used in providing food for customers. For that reason, changes in the prices of the two commodities are immediately felt when shopping for food ingredients.
“We really hope that raw material prices do not keep rising,” Ghofar hoped.
A similar view was expressed by Surti, a food seller on Jalan Siliwangi in Cirebon City.
“The price of chicken fell during the school holidays, but now it has gone up again,” she said.
She admitted that she has not yet raised the prices of the food she sells because she is afraid her customers will complain. “At most I just reduce my profit. Hopefully the price will not keep going up,” she concluded.