Jakarta – Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Aceh, Muhammad Iqbal, emphasized the importance of developing an integrated food ecosystem to reduce Aceh’s dependence on basic commodity supplies from outside the region. The statement was delivered during an exclusive interview with Investortrust at Menara Kadin in Jakarta on Monday (11/5/2026).

According to Iqbal, one of the most crucial sectors to be developed is the laying hen industry. He noted that poultry production in the region has often been suboptimal due to limited feed availability and a lack of technological mastery. He stressed that the feed industry requires strong integration between local farmers and access to technology.

“For laying hens, if the feed supply is insufficient, production will certainly not be optimal. Feed contains what is known as concentrate. It is actually not difficult for local entrepreneurs to produce feed—there is corn, soybeans, and rice bran—but the key component is the concentrate. That technology is something large companies are unwilling to share with local players,” he said.

He also expressed concern over the role of universities, which he believes remain too focused on theoretical approaches. According to him, academic institutions should be able to independently develop feed technology so local entrepreneurs do not continue to rely on external parties.

Furthermore, Iqbal explained that the vision of an integrated ecosystem would generate significant multiplier effects. The development of large-scale poultry farms would automatically create demand for feed mills, which in turn would absorb agricultural products from surrounding communities.

Iqbal estimated that supporting three million chickens would require at least 12,000 hectares of corn plantations. Through a foundation established by Kadin, his party is currently mentoring food crop farmers to utilize idle land across Aceh.

Beyond upstream development, downstream industrialization has also become a serious concern. He pointed out that commodities such as corn often fail to sell because there are no reliable offtakers and processing plants are located too far away.

He emphasized that industry players must establish operations in Aceh to ensure the quality of raw materials can be maintained.

“Why are people reluctant to move into the food plantation sector? Because there are no offtakers. Take corn, for example—it must reach the factory within a maximum of six hours to maintain freshness. If the processing plant is located far away in Medan, it loses its market value. That is why this industry must exist in Aceh,” he explained.

Kadin hopes that all elements of society, including academics, will support the investment climate. Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Aceh is committed to making the region self-sufficient in industry and manufacturing so that essential goods will no longer need to be sourced from outside the province.