National Egg Stock is Safe until Eid, Bapanas Ensures MBG Does Not Disturb Prices

JAKARTA - The National Food Agency (Bapanas) ensures the availability of pure chicken eggs in a safe and sufficient condition. Domestic production is considered capable of supporting national consumption needs, including up to the upcoming Lebaran period.

Deputy for Food Availability and Stabilization at Bapanas, I Gusti Ketut Astawa, emphasized that the national stock of eggs is very sufficient, even beyond the Ramadan and Lebaran moments.

"Our national stock of eggs is very much. The point is that it meets the national needs. Nationally, the availability of eggs is very much. Through Ramadan it is also safe. We have a surplus. We have no problem with eggs," said Ketut in Jakarta, Thursday, December 25.

Ketut dismissed the assumption that President Prabowo Subianto's priority program, Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), was the cause of the rising price of broiler eggs. According to him, the influence of MBG on the increase in demand for eggs is still relatively small.

"If I look at the MBG program, it has an influence but a little. Currently, it is called Christmas and New Year, demand is up to an increase," he explained.

Based on the National Food Balance Projection which is updated every month, the national consumption needs of pure chicken eggs, including for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) of the MBG program, can be fully met from domestic production.

From the estimated consumption needs of pure chicken eggs of 6.487 million tons per year, the SPPG needs in 2025 is only about 1.96 percent or equivalent to 127,300 tons. Meanwhile, national egg production is estimated to reach 6.561 million tons per year.

Bapanas also projects that the end-of-year stock of 2025 purebred chicken eggs will increase significantly to 74,500 tons. This figure jumped by 154.2 percent compared to the end-of-year stock of 2024 which was recorded at 29,300 tons.

Even though the supply is safe, the government is still monitoring the movement of the price of broiler eggs in the market. The price of eggs at the consumer level is expected to be in accordance with the Sales Reference Price (HAP) set by the government, namely Rp30,000 per kilogram.

"In principle, we have often met with our fellow farmers. They are committed to staying in the price range of Rp22,000, Rp23,000 to Rp25,000. This means that traders should still be able to sell at Rp30,000," said Ketut.

Based on data from the Bapanas Food Price Panel, the average price of broiler eggs at the consumer level has begun to decline in the last week. As of December 24, the national average price was Rp. 31,595 per kg, down from Rp. 31,671 per kg the previous week.

Meanwhile, the province with the lowest price was recorded in Bali at Rp27,635 per kg or about 7.8 percent below the HAP.

Meanwhile, the Head of Bapanas who is also the Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, emphasized that his staff must not be negligent in maintaining the stability of the price of pure chicken eggs, given the very sufficient national stock.

"The eggs were good, but we must not be careless. The eggs are enough. I say don't get on. If you get on, we will take action. This is because our stock is sufficient. Chicken eggs are more than enough. So it's safe," said Amran when reviewing the Wonokromo Market, Surabaya, East Java, Monday, December 23.