Ministry of Agriculture Moves Quickly to Stabilise Live Chicken Prices as Farmers' Associations Monitor on the Ground

The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) moved quickly to stabilise the national poultry industry amid pressure on live-chicken prices at the farm level. The stabilisation steps were directed by the Minister of Agriculture and the Head of the National Food Agency Andi Amran Sulaiman. ‘In order to protect the stability of the national poultry industry for both broilers and eggs, the Minister of Agriculture and the Head of the National Food Agency ordered us to stabilise production and prices for the chicken and egg commodities, particularly at the farm level,’ said Agung Suganda, Director-General of Livestock and Animal Health, after the National Coordination Meeting on National Poultry Stabilisation at the Ministry of Agriculture in Jakarta on Monday (19 May 2026). At the meeting, the price of live chickens at the farm level was agreed by poultry industry players at a minimum of Rp19,500 per kilogram for live weight of 1.8 kg and above. This price is a psychological threshold to sustain farmers’ livelihoods. ‘We had another meeting with relevant ministries and agencies, as well as all associations, and the chicken farming companies and cooperatives to jointly commit to a farm-level live-chicken price of no less than Rp19,500 for 1.8 kg and above,’ Agung said. He noted that the figure was set after considering field conditions, including increases in feed prices and logistics costs. ‘With a minimum of Rp19,500, this is a price acceptable to all players and will sustain our broiler production,’ he added. Asrokh Nawawi, Chairman IV of the Combined Poultry Breeding Companies (GPPU), welcomed the ministry’s role in facilitating the price recovery forum. He explained that the recent price decline was triggered by market panic ahead of the national holidays, when farmers tended to harvest earlier en masse, putting downward pressure on prices. ‘Rp19,500 is a realistic figure and is expected to gradually move toward the reference price. This is the initial step we must pursue together. I am confident we will be better off and more prosperous with today’s price, which is higher than yesterday’s. Let us support it so we succeed together,’ he said. Muhlis Wahyudi, Secretary-General of the Central Board of the Indonesian Poultry People Association (PINSAR), also confirmed the association would monitor the implementation of the agreed price on the ground. ‘We will instruct our members across Java to monitor and ensure compliance. Tomorrow the weight must be 1.8 kilograms and above,’ he stated. Kusnan, Chairman of PERMINDO, welcomed the outcome as good news for smallholders. He stressed that although Rp19,500 does not fully cover their break-even costs, it is an improvement on previous levels. ‘This is the initial base price. Yesterday prices were around Rp18,000, or even lower. This is good news for Indonesia’s smallholder farmers. We hope the price will continue to improve toward the peak ahead of Eid al-Adha, and our hope is that the Reference Price of Rp25,000 can be reached,’ he said. Director-General Agung emphasised that the government would continue to monitor the implementation and take firm action if violations were found. ‘If we find any actors violating the rules, we will act within our authority at the Ministry of Agriculture, because all this serves the common good,’ he said. (RO/H-4) He also confirmed that all export policies would be implemented in a measured and careful manner to avoid disrupting domestic needs. The involvement of certified personnel is crucial to minimise the risk of food contamination.