Protect Chicken Breeders, The Government Will Assign BUMNs To Pinned The Layer's Main Bibit And Pakan Subsidy

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan emphasized that the government will be present to protect laying hens to be more prosperous.

One way to do this is by assigning State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) to control the mother seed (Grand Parent Stock/GPS) of laying hens and continuing to provide subsidies for animal feed.

This was emphasized by the Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan during an audience with laying hens in Magelang Regency, Central Java today, Tuesday, November 1.

"The government is tasked with helping people's breeders not to lose money. Therefore, the Government has made a reasonable reference for egg prices," he said, in an official statement, quoted Wednesday, November 2.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, revealed that the government will assign SOEs to control the GPS of laying hens so that they can be accessed by people's laying hens.

"Farmers can form cooperatives and apply for laying hen GPS to the BUMN. The laying hen GPS cannot be regulated by just a few companies," he explained.

Regarding animal feed, he continued, the Government has provided subsidies for purchasing animal feed.

Laying chicken breeders can buy corn of IDR 5,000 per kg.

On the other hand, the government will encourage the increase in animal feed companies with the aim of not depending on certain companies. Previously, the Ministry of Trade had assigned Perum Bulog to carry out corn procurement and distribution programs to micro and small-scale breeders in several areas, one of which was Magelang Regency, Central Java.

The assistance can ease the production burden of farmers when the price of feed corn increases.

"The government will fight for the interests of laying hens breeders so they don't go bankrupt because they absorb a lot of labor. This is the government's job," said Zulhas. Corn is the main raw material component for the formation of laying hens feed. feed costs contribute about 75 percent to the Main Production Price (HPP) of broiler eggs.

In February 2022, the purchase price of feed corn at the feed plant level reached IDR 5,460 per kg.

This price is 21.75 percent higher than the same period in 2021 which was recorded at IDR 4,480 per kg.

Zulhas also invited broiler eggs breeders together with the Government to maintain price stability and the supply of eggs in the community.

In addition to maintaining prices at the consumer level, the Ministry of Trade is also trying to prevent prices at the producer level from decreasing to below the HPP so that farmers get reasonable benefits and keep their spirits up in production.

"The price stability of broiler eggs at the producer level will provide certainty to farmers to produce so that supplies in consumers are maintained," he said.

Based on information conveyed by farmers, the price of broiler eggs at the producer level for Magelang Regency was recorded at Rp22,800 per kg.

This price is still in the government's reference price range, which is Rp. 22,000 to Rp. 24,000 per kg according to the Regulation of the Head of the National Food Agency Number 5 of 2022.

Meanwhile, the national average price of broiler eggs at the producer level as of October 31, 2022 is IDR 23,800 per kg.

This price is relatively stable compared to the price a week earlier.