Chicken prices remain stable in Polewali Mandar as ramadan begins.

As Ramadan gets under way, residents of Polewali Mandar Regency in West Sulawesi can expect steady chicken prices despite earlier concerns about increases.

Local authorities say the situation remains under control and supplies are more than adequate to meet seasonal demand.

Fitriani, Head of the Food Security Division at the Marine and Fisheries Office of Polewali Mandar, confirmed that recent price rises are still within acceptable limits. “There has been an increase, but it is still reasonable and below the Government Reference Price (HAP) set by the government,” she said.

Alongside the Industry and Trade Office and officers from the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Indonesian National Police, she inspected Pasar Sentral Pekkabata to assess the market situation. According to Fitriani, live chickens are currently selling for around Rp70,000 per bird, with an average weight of 2.5 kilograms.

“The current market price per bird is Rp70,000, with an average weight of 2.5 kilograms. That means the price per kilogram is only around Rp28,000. This is not far from the government’s HAP of Rp25,000 per kilogram for live chickens at the producer or farmer level,” she explained.

She added that supplies in Polewali Mandar are secure, with traders holding up to twice their usual stock. The modest price rise is seen as a seasonal trend linked to increased demand before Ramadan, when families traditionally hold thanksgiving gatherings and prepare special meals.

At provincial level, Nur Kadar from the Food Crops, Horticulture, and Livestock Office of West Sulawesi said prices remain stable across the region. Meanwhile, at national level, the Ministry of Agriculture has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding both consumers and traders.

“In line with the Minister of Agriculture’s directive, we want to ensure the public obtains products that are safe, healthy, wholesome, and halal at affordable prices, while traders still receive reasonable margins,” said Agung Suganda in Jakarta.

Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman also stressed that ample production and strong stocks should prevent unjustified price hikes. Authorities say monitoring will continue through Eid al Fitr to maintain steady supply and fair pricing.

CEVA & Saudi Arabia collaborates to transform veterinary medicine. (Image credit: Arab news)

Saudi Arabia has taken a major step towards strengthening its animal health sector through a new partnership with CEVA to localise veterinary vaccine manufacturing within the Kingdom.

The agreement was signed under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program, in the presence of senior leaders from the sector.

The Memorandum of Understanding sets out a joint plan to establish domestic production capabilities, transfer advanced technology and technical expertise, and expand industrial and commercial scale manufacturing across different regions of the country. The aim is to create a sustainable operating model that meets national demand while reinforcing biosecurity and food security.

Under the agreement, both sides will work to improve production efficiency and build a clear commercial pathway for locally manufactured vaccines. The cooperation also covers the development of mRNA vaccine technologies and joint research into a vaccine for MERS CoV in camels. This includes designing and evaluating targeted solutions to combat the virus. In addition, the partnership will focus on the development of rabies vaccines and related products, supporting national disease control programmes through reliable vaccine supply, capacity building and integrated prevention strategies.

A key objective is to serve the Kingdom’s poultry vaccine market, currently valued at around US$19.7mn. The plan targets roughly 30 per cent of this market, backed by an initial investment of close to US$66mn. With continued government backing and rising poultry production, the market is projected to grow by more than 10 per cent annually, reaching an estimated US$33bn by 2030.

CEVA’s participation in the Veterinary Biotechnology Future City at the Biotech Park in Dhurma Governorate marks an important milestone. It reflects the Program’s wider strategy to develop advanced industries in livestock and fisheries while building strong international partnerships with leading companies, research institutions and universities.

The agreement also ensures that locally produced vaccines are tailored to disease strains present in the Kingdom. Specialised training programmes will support compliance with international Good Manufacturing Practices standards, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to position itself as a global biotechnology hub and strengthen the long term sustainability of its animal health sector.

Aviagen strengthens Malaysia’s poultry industry. (Image credit: Avinews Asia)

Aviagen has reaffirmed its commitment to the Malaysian poultry sector by sponsoring the 2026 reprint of the ‘Guidebook on the Malaysian Poultry Industry – The Way Forward’.

The publication is widely recognised as an important reference tool for policymakers, researchers, and industry participants, helping to guide structured and coordinated development across the national poultry value chain.

The updated guidebook was officially launched during a seminar held in Kuala Lumpur on January 22, 2026. The event was organised by the Malaysian Productivity Corporation and the Agro Food Productivity Nexus, working in collaboration with the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia. The seminar, titled ‘Transforming the Poultry Industry Through Productivity, Technology, and Talent’, attracted more than 100 participants from across the poultry sector, including integrators, farmers, feed manufacturers, suppliers, and government officials.

As part of the programme, Aviagen demonstrated its commitment to openness and knowledge sharing through a virtual presentation titled ‘Poultry Breeding for Better Performance and Disease Prevention’. The session was delivered by Dominic Elfick, Marketing Manager for Aviagen Asia Pacific. During the presentation, Aviagen outlined its balanced breeding philosophy, highlighting the importance of sustainable traits, bird welfare, and consistent long term performance in building resilient poultry production systems.

Aviagen’s role in advancing industry best practices was further recognised during the event when the company was cited by the Department of Veterinary Services as a leading example of compartmentalisation. The department encouraged broader adoption of this approach, which is based on shared management standards and strong biosecurity practices across groups of production units. Compartmentalisation plays a key role in allowing international trade to continue during the event of a notifiable disease outbreak.

Keat Fu, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian for Aviagen Asia, attended the seminar alongside other members of the Aviagen team. He noted that the event provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with industry stakeholders. Feedback from attendees reflected strong support for Aviagen’s focus on sustainable performance, welfare centred breeding strategies, and close collaboration with the wider poultry industry in Malaysia.

Taichung egg farmer's legal troubles.

A poultry farmer in Taichung has been detained and held without contact after prosecutors uncovered alleged illegal practices linked to the disposal of dead chickens following an avian influenza outbreak.

The case has drawn widespread attention, highlighting concerns around biosecurity, food safety and environmental protection in Taiwan’s agricultural sector.

The Taichung District Court approved the detention of the farmer, surnamed Yun, who operates Fengkang Egg Ranch in the Fongyuan District. The court ruled that there were sufficient legal grounds and a clear necessity to keep him in custody while investigations continue. Authorities believe Yun attempted to hide the outbreak rather than follow mandatory disease control and waste disposal procedures.

According to investigators, chickens at the farm began showing signs of avian influenza, with a sharp rise in deaths soon after. Instead of reporting the situation to authorities, Yun allegedly buried some of the dead poultry at his own residence. Others were reportedly transported to neighbouring Miaoli County, where they were dumped and buried on privately owned land.

That land belongs to another suspect, surnamed Yen. Prosecutors say Yen allowed hazardous waste to be buried on his property without official approval. He was later released on US$200,000 bail and placed under travel and residence restrictions.

Law enforcement officials carried out searches at the egg farm and Yun’s home, questioning Yun, two farm employees and Yen. After further interrogation, prosecutors stated that Yun is suspected of violating the Waste Disposal Act by illegally dumping hazardous business waste, failing to handle waste correctly as a business operator and committing fraud. Yen faces allegations of unlawfully permitting hazardous waste disposal on his land.

Local government officials have sought to reassure the public that the avian influenza outbreak has been successfully contained. All chickens at the affected farm were culled, while large volumes of eggs, animal feed and bedding materials were destroyed as a precaution. Authorities confirmed there is no evidence the disease spread to other farms.

The incident has reignited public debate around farm regulation, disease prevention and the responsibility of agricultural operators to protect public health and the environment.