Solo, en.SERU.co.id — Dozens of layers and broiler chicken farmers from Solo and nearby areas took to the streets on Tuesday (July 7, 2026), staging a unique protest at Bundaran Gladak. In a striking display of frustration, they handed out live chickens, eggs, and corn to passing residents and motorists. Some farmers even smashed eggs on their own bodies to highlight their deepening losses.
The protest highlighted the sharp decline in farm-gate prices that has left many small-scale producers struggling to survive.
Chris Handrika Imannuel Raharjo, coordinator of the action, said broiler chickens are currently selling for just Rp12,500 per kilogram at the farm level — well below the government’s reference price of Rp19,500. Egg prices have fared no better, hovering around Rp16,500 per kilogram against a reference of Rp19,500.
“What’s worse, the reference price for eggs was recently lowered again to Rp24,000 from Rp26,500. This doesn’t make sense. Feed costs are rising but selling prices keep getting pushed down,” Raharjo said.
Farmers pointed to surging production costs as the main culprit. Corn, a key feed ingredient, now trades at Rp6,800 to Rp7,000 per kilogram, exceeding the government benchmark of Rp5,500. Soybean meal prices have also climbed by up to Rp2,000 per kilogram in the past six months, despite the implementation of a single-import policy.
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According to the farmers’ calculations, the cost of production (HPP) for eggs has reached Rp26,000 per kilogram. That leaves them losing Rp9,000 to Rp10,000 on every kilogram sold. For a farmer with 1,000 birds, daily losses can hit Rp500,000 — not including rising electricity, vaccine, and labor costs.
“We only see the government step in with market operations when prices are high. But when prices collapse and we’re bleeding money every day, there’s no real help. We need fair policies that actually protect farmers,” Raharjo added.
The protesters are calling on the government to immediately review its pricing policies, stabilize feed supply and costs, and introduce stronger protections to prevent small-scale poultry farms from going out of business. (wnb/mzm)
