SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF DUCK FARMER’S ON FEED CRISIS (Case of duck farmers in Central Java north coast area)

Abstract

Feed and nutrition content have been constantly highlighted as the most determinant
factors of duck farming productivity. This particular issue was being major subject of this research, i.e. supply systems, quantities and prices fluctuations, and farmers’ survival of strategies to manage the impacts of feed price hiking and the scarcity of the main feed component incidents. Analysis data covered panel system of duck feed and egg price in 2004-2005 and farmers’ standard interviewed in January 2006. Feed was the major of inputs duck farming. lt covered around 72, 7% of the total expenses. Duck feed composition in northern coast of Central lava consisted of ikun rucah (fishing by catch), nasi aking (dried rice). heka/ul (rice mill by product), ece (small snail in river and Wet land), and concentrate mill. Duck productivity mainly depended on ikzm ruca/1 since it was the main source of protein. The problem arised since ikan rucah was the most unstable from the supply and the price aspects. Ikan rucah supply depended on seasonal and fluctuate catch-fish production. In lean season, ikan rucah was scarcity and the price increased sharply. ln contrast, the price of duck egg did not instantly follow the increasing of cost production. To be surviving, farmers changed the feed composition trhough the additional of capital needed borrowed to the trader. Farmers faced potential loss in both strategies. The declining egg production due to lower feed quality inherent with the first strategy, while the potential loss in the second strategy rooted on the high interest rate of
the loan. The study implies the urge development of alternative source of feed and newly promising feed formula to improve duck farmers performance.