Soaring Feed Costs and Plummeting Egg Prices Squeeze Central Java Poultry Farmers

Farmers belonging to the Koperasi Peternak Unggas Sejahtera (KPUS) held demonstrations in several regencies across Central Java on Monday (10/8/2026). They are protesting the continued surge in animal feed prices and complaining that egg purchases by SPPG for the MBG programme are still being made at relatively low prices.

KPUS Central Java chairman Suwardi said that on Monday, members staged demonstrations in Kendal, Temanggung, Magelang, Pekalongan, Wonosobo, Pati, Grobogan and Boyolali. “Yesterday, poultry farmer members of the Koperasi Peternak Unggas Sejahtera held a peaceful protest to convey a message to the central government because feed prices keep soaring. From April to August they have risen by 25 percent,” Suwardi said in an interview on Tuesday (11/8/2026).

Despite the surge in poultry feed prices, Suwardi said the selling price of eggs has actually fallen. “Egg prices from May to August have continued to decline to a low point of Rp15,000 at the farm gate,” he said.

“So production costs and output are not balanced. As a result, farmers are suffering losses and surviving by scaling back,” Suwardi continued.

He added that the MBG programme has also not had a significant impact on farmers. “Despite the existence of the MBG, even though there have been coordination meetings and official memoranda, the regional KPPG offices below have had no effect because everything is controlled by the kitchen owners or managers, so the role of SPPG is not optimal,” he said.

Suwardi revealed that the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sudaryono, had previously said that SPPG should be able to buy eggs at the farm gate for Rp25,000 per kilogram. “The reality is far from that. They are buying at Rp21,000 to Rp22,000 per kilo, delivered. For example in Kendal, as of today only a few kitchens are committed to buying at Rp26,000,” he said.

According to Suwardi, his organisation has held meetings with the Governor of Central Java and the Minister of Agriculture regarding these issues. “But there is no certainty yet that conditions will improve. That is why yesterday our members in six regencies simultaneously held peaceful protests,” he said.

He said the main demand in Monday’s demonstration was to lower animal feed prices. They are also demanding an increase in the SPHP maize quota for farmers.

“SPHP maize is one element that could ease feed costs because it is priced at Rp5,500 for farmers, while the current market price of maize is Rp6,800 to Rp7,000 per kilo,” Suwardi said.

Suwardi expressed hope that the poultry farmers’ demands would be addressed by the government and relevant parties. “If there is no change, farmers will go to the Presidential Palace to ask for the President’s protection so that we can continue to exist and survive,” he said. KPUS Central Java has 1,767 farmer members spread across 10 regencies and cities.