Bulog Expands Affordable Feed Corn Support for Papua Farmers

Indonesia’s state food logistics company Bulog is supplying feed corn at Rp5,000 per kilogram to micro-scale layer chicken farmers in Papua, helping them manage production costs and sustain local egg businesses. The initiative is being delivered through the government’s Food Supply and Price Stabilization Program for Corn, known as SPHP Corn.

By combining access to affordable feed with public purchasing of eggs, the program is designed to strengthen farm incomes, stabilize local food supplies and support more resilient rural economies. As adapted from reporting by ANTARA News Papua, the latest distribution figures show that the policy is already reaching a substantial share of its regional target.

Stabilizing a Critical Input for Papua’s Poultry Sector

Feed is one of the largest operating expenses for layer farmers, making price volatility a direct threat to the continuity of small businesses. Chairul Mazhar, head of Bulog’s Papua regional office, said the government’s affordable corn supply was intended to help micro-scale farmers keep their operations running while managing pressures across the poultry value chain.

Eligible farmers can obtain SPHP Corn from Bulog warehouses, subject to the program’s administrative and distribution requirements. The approach places practical support close to producers while reinforcing the government’s broader effort to maintain the availability of essential food-production inputs.

For Papua, the second phase of the program has an allocation of 248.40 metric tons of feed corn. By Nov. 5, 2026, Bulog had distributed 179.70 tons, equivalent to 72.34% of the regional allocation.

The pace of distribution indicates strong demand among eligible farmers and provides a measurable foundation for evaluating how targeted food-price interventions can support agricultural activity in eastern Indonesia. It also highlights the importance of coordinated logistics in a region where distance, transportation costs and uneven market access can influence the price of basic commodities.

Linking Affordable Feed With Market Certainty

The initiative is part of cooperation among Indonesia’s National Food Agency, Bulog and state-owned food enterprises to secure feed ingredients while supporting smaller poultry producers. The policy does not stop at supplying corn; the government is also implementing a program to purchase eggs from micro-scale farmers through Bulog and the state-owned food company ID FOOD.

The egg procurement program is valued at up to Rp30 billion, creating an additional channel through which farmers can sell their output. Together, the two measures address both sides of the production challenge: the cost of inputs and the certainty of markets.

This two-track design can provide meaningful protection for household and community businesses that may have limited bargaining power when buying feed or negotiating with buyers. Lower feed costs can help farmers preserve working capital, while institutional egg purchases can reduce the risk of unsold production and sudden price declines.

More predictable business conditions may also support gradual reinvestment in poultry housing, flock management, sanitation and equipment. In this way, a food stabilization policy can contribute not only to short-term affordability but also to stronger productive capacity among Papua’s rural entrepreneurs.

The programs are scheduled to be implemented progressively across Indonesia through December 2026, with Papua’s distribution coordinated through local authorities, the National Food Agency, state-owned food enterprises and farmer cooperatives. Bulog Papua has pledged to strengthen those partnerships so that feed deliveries remain transparent, properly targeted and accessible to qualified micro-scale producers.

Cooperative involvement is particularly important because it can help farmers coordinate applications, collect production information and connect more efficiently with formal purchasing channels. Strong oversight and accurate beneficiary data will be essential to ensuring that the benefits reach the producers most exposed to rising operating costs.

Building More Resilient Regional Food Systems

Beyond the immediate support for egg farmers, the program reflects a wider development priority for Papua: building food systems that combine reliable logistics, local enterprise and inclusive economic participation. Poultry production can generate recurring income for families and communities, while a stronger local supply of eggs can contribute to healthier and more dependable food access.

By backing producers with both affordable feed and an organized market, public institutions are helping connect remote and regional economies to national food-security objectives. The initiative also demonstrates how targeted state intervention can be aligned with small-business empowerment rather than limited to emergency relief.

Its longer-term impact will depend on consistent delivery, transparent eligibility rules and continued coordination among government agencies, Bulog, food enterprises and farmer cooperatives. If those systems remain reliable, the program could give Papua’s micro-scale layer farmers greater confidence to maintain and expand their businesses through the end of 2026.

The combination of lower input costs and dependable purchasing offers a practical foundation for inclusive agricultural growth, particularly in regions where logistics can determine whether small producers remain viable. Papua’s experience will therefore provide an important test of how national food policies can be translated into concrete, community-level economic progress.