Indonesian chicken meat vendors protest price hike

In Bandung, Indonesia’s third largest city after the capital Jakarta and Surabaya, thousands of broiler chicken meat sellers in 38 traditional markets are displeased with the staggering price hike in chicken meat. They are threatening to strike.

Some 200 vendors staged a rally in front of the Gedung Sate gubernatorial office, demanding the administration take control of the price of chicken meat.

During the protest, the sellers brought along cuts of chicken legs, wings and heads and burned chicken cages.

“If the administration does not do anything, we will not sell the meat,” the head of the Bandung Chicken Seller Union, Yoyo Sutarya said, adding that currently there were around 5,000 chicken meat sellers in town.

The vendors report that the price of chicken meat has been rising since early June, now at IDR 32,000 (€2.26) per kg, from IDR 26,000 (€3.13). The price hike is puzzling the vendors, as there is not shortage of supply.

West Java Industry and Trade Agency head, Ferry Sofwan Arif, agrees, reporting market surveys undertaken by the agency finding an average price increase of 15%.

“We should assess the price increase by also taking into consideration the prices of other components, such as chicken food and production costs,” said Ferry.

He further asked poultry breeders to not raise the butchery and transportation costs, as it might increase the selling price of the chicken meat in the market.

Source: the Jakarta Post