Hit By PPKM, Suprawoto Regent Asks ASN In Magetan To Buy Chicken Eggs From Local Breeders

Magetan Regent Suprawoto gives broiler eggs from egg buying and alms activities (ANTARA)

MAGETAN - Magetan Regent Suprawoto asked the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) in the local government to buy purebred chicken eggs from local farmers. This aims to absorb the abundance of supply due to the decline in people's purchasing power in PPKM.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has given us all wisdom to maintain health, to be grateful for God's blessings, namely by maintaining fitness. In the midst of a pandemic, we must be strong with high protein intake," said Suprawoto on the sidelines of the 'Buying and Alms Chicken Egg Movement,' Antara , Monday, September 13.

The Buy and Alms Egg Movement is an activity to facilitate the marketing of chicken eggs from local breeders in Magetan Regency whose prices have fallen. The activity was carried out from today to Friday, September 17, 2021 at the Livestock and Fisheries Service, Magetan.

Suprawoto explained that the pandemic conditions had an impact on the low absorption of broiler egg yields. Plus, the circulation of chicken eggs from outside the region that enters Magetan Regency at a cheaper price.

The most affected are small-scale chicken farmers, numbering around 1,000 people with laying hens under 3,000.

As a result of these conditions, small-scale laying hens have not been able to sell their own eggs, while capital from banks and sufficient feed are obtained from partnership loans.

"The purpose of this activity is to help unravel the problem of small-scale laying hens who suffer losses due to falling egg selling prices. It is also a form of empathy for the local government and civil servants in Magetan Regency, as well as efforts to improve community nutrition at affordable prices during the pandemic," said the Regent.

There are around 500 kilograms of broiler eggs that are successfully absorbed through the Buy and Alms Egg activities per day. The hundreds of kilograms of eggs are then donated to residents who are undergoing self-isolation, COVID-19 volunteers, and the poor.

"In addition to helping the marketing of eggs produced by local farmers, the eggs are also to fulfill the nutrition of target residents. Thus, these activities are able to encourage the local economy to run as well as to increase body immunity during the pandemic," he said.

Data from the Livestock and Fisheries Service of Magetan noted that the number of laying hens in the local area reached 1,200 people, of which 1,000 were small-scale farmers. The population of productive laying hens in Magetan reaches 2 million heads.

Meanwhile, the daily egg production in Magetan Regency reaches 60 tons, with a daily absorption capacity of 20 tons for Magetan Regency and 40 tons to be marketed outside Magetan.

The price of eggs at the farmer level currently ranges from Rp. 14,000 to Rp. 15,000 per kilogram. Whereas the price of BEP or the break-even point of maintenance reaches Rp. 18,000 per kilogram.

With these conditions, cultivating as many as 1,000 chickens, farmers lose Rp. 200,000 per day. Meanwhile, the price of broiler eggs in the market ranges from Rp. 18,000 to Rp. 19,000 per kilogram.

Regent Suprawoto emphasized that the existence of laying hens in Magetan is very important in supporting the local economy.

This effort is considered to have made an extraordinary contribution, both in terms of employment and improving the standard of living of the people in Magetan. Therefore it must be maintained.