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Egg prices break all-time high, industry blames bulk social aid purchases
The price of chicken eggs at the consumer level is up nearly a quarter from last year, setting a new record for the staple food and far exceeding the general inflation rate, as industry representatives blame government aid programs for causing a rapid spike in demand.
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Fragile situation: A vendor places eggs at Tebet Barat Market in South Jakarta. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he price of chicken eggs at the consumer level is up nearly a quarter from last year, setting a new record for the staple food and far exceeding the general inflation rate, as industry representatives blame government social aid programs for causing a rapid spike in demand.
Data from Bank Indonesia (BI) shows that the national average price of chicken eggs in traditional markets was Rp 30,850 (US$2.08) per kg as of Tuesday, up 21.9 percent year-on-year (yoy) and 5.1 percent month-to-month (mtm).
Typically, chicken eggs cost Rp 23,000 to Rp 26,000 per kg at the retail level and Rp 19,000 to Rp 21,000 per kg at the farmer level. Chicken eggs are an affordable and widely consumed protein source in Indonesia.
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data shows that headline inflation rose to 4.94 percent yoy in August, up from 4.35 percent yoy in July, largely due to food, beverage and tobacco prices.
Read also: Inflation at seven-year high, exceeding BI’s revised outlook
Indonesia Poultry Farmers Association and Information Center (Pinsar) chair Yudianto Yosgiarso said the price of chicken eggs had jumped because of issues with government purchases of the staple food for social aid programs.
He said the Social Affairs Ministry had bought eggs in bulk for distribution to low-income citizens but had chosen to buy and distribute them in large quantities over a short period of time, rather on a monthly basis. This, he said, had drastically increased the demand for chicken eggs, even though retail demand had remained stable.
