Indonesia to realise poultry check-off program

One of the important points from a roundtable discussion named “Indonesian Poultry Club” conducted recently in Jakarta was the need for a poultry check-off program. The participants assessed that to increase the consumption of poultry products, a poultry check-off program need to be implemented immediately.

On September 2011, the key figures of Indonesian poultry industry, academics, researchers and a person from the House of Representatives – agriculture section met in Jakarta to discuss efforts toward a poultry check-off program.

At the meeting, the director of graduate school of business and management of Bogor Agricultural University, Arief Daryanto said that the benefits of a check-off program have been proven by many studies. The activities include promotion and research which is financed by a levy money from the producers and managed by a board with purpose to increase market demand and producers revenue. “In the US, Australia and other countries, a check-off program is something common and longstanding,” he added.

According to the chairman of Indonesian poultry community forum, Don Utoyo, a check-off program is a solution strategy of promotion to increase poultry meat and egg’s consumption. “The fact is that until now the promotion is done partially and sporadically. So the results are not measureable,” he revealed.

Although a check-off program is conceptually good, Desianto Utomo from Indonesian Feed Mills Association reminded the participants about the weaknesses or potential problems in the implementation management. The weaknesses include the law, levy mechanism, implementing agency, control mechanism, auditing and “free riders”.

Bomer Pasaribu from the House of Representatives – agriculture section suggested the participants to seek the issuance of government regulation concerning a poultry check-off program. This regulation is important as the basis in implementing a poultry check-off program.

At the meeting, an ad hoc team was created to draw up important substances which will then be submitted to the government.