The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) has launched an ambitious plan aimed at significantly reducing the retail price of eggs and locally produced whole chickens to $25 per tray of eggs and $50 per whole chicken by the end of this year or early next year.
Currently, a tray of eggs sells for between $37 and $40, while a whole chicken costs around $100.
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Franklyn Derek Wasi, announced the plan while delivering opening remarks at a consultation meeting with local poultry farmers this week. He emphasized MALDโs strong commitment to addressing key challenges in the poultry sector and fostering sustainable industry growth.
While acknowledging the efforts of local poultry farmers, Hon. Wasi also recognized the significant constraints they continue to face and outlined several major initiatives and national targets MALD aims to achieve over the next three years.
โI understand that the biggest challenges you face as poultry farmers are the high cost of feed and the unreliable supply of day-old chicks. These challenges have placed you at a disadvantage, making it difficult to compete with cheaper imported eggs and poultry products,โ Hon. Wasi said.
National Poultry Industry Targets
The Minister announced the following national targets under the poultry development plan:
โข Establishment of a new hatchery at KGVI Farm with a capacity of 10,000 eggs, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Union.
โข Procurement of mini feed mills to enable local production of poultry and piggery feed.
โข Development of 100 hectares of maize and corn farms on Guadalcanal to supply raw materials for domestic feed production.
โข Establishment of the Solomon Islandsโ first commercial feed mill for poultry and piggery.
โข Establishment of the countryโs first parent flock breeding centre to locally produce fertile eggs.
โข Distribution of 20,000 birds to 20 selected farmers this year, including feed and essential farm equipment.
โข Major infrastructure investments, including a World Bank-funded slaughterhouse nearing completion at KGVI Farm, as well as plans to acquire animal transport trucks and a mobile slaughter unit to support farmers outside Honiara.
Hon. Wasi said these initiatives are expected to significantly boost domestic egg and poultry production, enabling the government to reduce retail prices to the targeted levels.
He explained that once local production stabilizes, the government will be able to introduce higher taxes on imported poultry products and eventually impose import restrictions to protect local producers.
The strategy also encourages the formation of local poultry cooperatives to improve organization, marketing, and long-term sustainability within the sector.
The Minister stressed the importance of strong collaboration between MALD and poultry farmers, particularly accountability from farmers who have previously received government assistance.
โTogether, we will rebuild the poultry industry into a vibrant, profitable, and affordable sector that improves livelihoods and strengthens food security in the Solomon Islands,โ he said.
During the consultation, farmers shared experiences operating farms with flock sizes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 birds. Key challenges raised included the high cost of feed, unreliable supply of day-old chicks, limited veterinary services, inadequate farm infrastructure, and high bird mortality rates.
Farmers also expressed concern over the impact of cheaper imported eggs and poultry products on local production and income.
Hon. Wasi emphasized that future ministry support will focus on committed poultry farmers to ensure a reliable supply and sustainable industry growth.
In his concluding remarks, the Minister urged all previous recipients of Solomon Islands Government (SIG) support to submit reports detailing how earlier funds were utilized.
โIf past recipients wish to be considered for further funding support, you must first submit reports on how previous assistance was used. Without this, MALD will not consider you for additional support,โ he said.
MALD Permanent Secretary Dr. Samson Viulu assured farmers that their concerns have been taken seriously and incorporated into the National Poultry Strategy 2026โ2028.
MALD reaffirmed that strong collaboration, accountability, and continued engagement with farmers remain central to building a resilient and sustainable poultry industry in the Solomon Islands.
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