Prices of eggs and chicken in West Sumatra remain high

Traders suspect higher prices for chicken meat due to soaring food prices

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PADANG – Prices of egg products and chicken meat in traditional markets West Sumatra are still high. In Payakumbuh, for example, fresh chicken meat is sold at 26,000 rupees per kilogram (kg), up from the previous price of 20,000 rupees per kilogram.

When they are sold by tail, people can get fresh chicken at a price of about 40,000 rupees per head. Traders in traditional markets suspect rising prices of chicken meat due to soaring food prices

Yunaidi (48), one of the traders in Payakumbuh's traditional market, said: According to him, buyers have begun to complain about expensive chicken meat. "The problem is normally 20,000 Rp per kg," he said.

The price of fresh chicken meat products is actually monitored higher through the National Strategic Food Information Center. Through the website hargapangan.id, chicken meat sold west of Sumatra was sold at a price of 50,700 rupees per kilogram.

Even in the town of Padang, fresh chicken meat is sold up to Rp 52,000 per kg. One of the consumers, Sofita (49 years old) for example, was forced to cancel his intention to buy chicken meat because of a very heavy price hike.

"The plan was that I bought a chicken, but because it's expensive not to buy," he said.

Meanwhile, the price of chicken eggs is still high at Rp 1,600 per point. While normally chicken eggs at Payakumbuh were sold at a price of Rp 1300 per grain. Looking at the National Strategic Food Information Center, the selling price of chicken eggs in West Sumatera is Rp 24,400 per kg.

Previously, Asben Hendri, head of West Sumatera's office of industry and commerce, confirmed that he continued to monitor the movement of prices of eggs and chicken meat on the market . He mentioned, the price of chicken eggs in the West Sumatra market is currently slightly down compared to the price movement during Lebaran translucent Rp 24 thousand per kg.

Asben also said that he was ready to conduct market operations by cooperating with Bulog to keep up the price of chicken eggs. He also reminded traders not to raise prices drastically for big profits.

"But we ask traders or producers that there is empathy: chicken eggs are not all traded so that at home it is rare and rising. .. The most important is the supply for us first, "explains Asben.