When the Price of chickens at the Cage Differs from What the Public Buys
Jakarta – The price of live chickens in cages is skewed by the chicken meat bought by the public. Even though the price of chicken meat is increasing.
Member of the Indonesian Independent People’s Breeders association (Permindo), Asep Saepudin, saeid that the price of live chickens at farmers was at IDR 17,000/kilogram (kg). In fact, the cost of production (HPP) reaches IDR 21,000/kg.
He admitted that the price of live chickens had sometimes risen to IDR 20,000/kg. However, he said it was still below the Reference Purchase Price (HAP) set by the government of IDR 25,000/kg.
“Just this week there has been an increase from previously being at Rp. 17,000 at the end of October. Today from breeders to traders in the Banten area it is only Rp. 19,500-20,000/kg. Our HPP for independent breeders is already Rp. 21,000,” he said to detikcom written Saturday (11/15/2025).
The high HPP was due to the increase in the price of chicken seeds and animal feed. He revealed that the price of animal feed rose from IDR 7,700/kg to IDR 8,300/kg, the price of day old chicks (baby chickens) from IDR 5,500 to IDR 7,850, then the price of corn for feed alone rose to IDR 7,200/kg.
Meanwhile, the price of live chickens in cages has plummeted because breeders have to immediately sell the stock of large-sized chickens that have accumulated.
“The price drops below the HPP because to get chicken seeds, farmers are required to buy 2.5-3 kg of feed per head, so there is a buildup of large chickens, farmers don’t want to sell small chickens as they are worried about not getting chicken seeds back,” he continued.
He admitted that he could not buy corn from Perum Bulog as the main ingredient in feed because the feed for boiler chickens is different from that for laying hens. That’s why independent boiler chicken breeders have to buy from the factory.
“We,independent broiler chicken breeders,don’t have the tools and capabilities to process raw materials into ready-to-use feed for broilers.”
Indonesian Poultry Prices: Live Chicken Below Reference Price, Feed Costs Rise (November 16, 2025)
Indonesia’s poultry sector is experiencing a complex situation with live chicken prices generally below the government’s Reference Purchase Price (HAP), while simultaneously facing increasing production costs, particularly in feed.
According to recent data,the national average price of live chickens at the farm gate is IDR 21,879/kg,falling below the HAP of IDR 25,000/kg. Price variations exist across regions, with the lowest price recorded in South Sumatra at IDR 20,000/kg and the highest in North Sumatra at IDR 24,286/kg. Other regional prices include Banten (IDR 20,250/kg),Central java (IDR 20,333/kg),East Java (IDR 21,549/kg),and West Java (IDR 22,800/kg).
Despite these relatively low farm-gate prices, consumers are paying more. The national average price of chicken meat is currently IDR 37,097/kg, a slight decrease of 0.34% from the previous day, but still below the reference Sales Price (HAP) of IDR 40,000/kg. Meaningful regional price differences are observed,with North Kalimantan reporting the highest price at IDR 47,278/kg and South Sulawesi the lowest at IDR 29,658/kg. Jakarta’s average price is IDR 39,000/kg, while Banten’s is IDR 36,476/kg.
A key factor impacting profitability for poultry farmers is the rising cost of feed, which accounts for 65% to 70% of production expenses. Feed prices have increased by approximately IDR 400/kg in the last month. Day-old chick (DOC) prices are also a significant cost, contributing 25% to 30% of overall production costs, with the lowest DOC price currently at IDR 6,600/head.
These cost pressures are occurring despite the relatively low prices for live chickens, potentially impacting farmer margins and future production levels.