Indonesia scrambles to toss millions of eggs and boost chicken prices

Officials hope reducing the number of eggs will cut chicken supplies and boost market prices AFP / TENGKU Bahar

Indonesia is set to get cracking on a plan to destroy millions of eggs in a bid to prop up slumping chicken prices, calling on poultry breeders to cut supply by either destroying them or giving them away.

"The only way we can do something about it is by discarding 10 million... eggs," said I Ketut Diarmita, director general of Livestock and Animal Health Services.

Officials hope reducing the number of eggs will cut chicken supplies and boost market prices.

Cheap chicken may be good for consumers, but it has dug its claws into the poultry industry.

Prices have tanked 25 percent this year to 30,050 rupiah ($2.10) per kilogram, the lowest in three years, according to official figures.

Dozens of firms are expected to take part in destroying the eggs, according to the Indonesia Poultry Breeding Association.