Songbird Contests Have Significant Economic Impact: Govt

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The economic potential of Indonesia’s songbird hobby continues to grow, evolving into a business ecosystem that spans multiple sectors.

Trade Minister Budi Santoso said the economic impact of songbird competitions is significant, with the industry valued at between IDR 1.7 trillion and IDR 2 trillion (USD 98.07–115.38 million).

“Our exports of pet birds last year reached around IDR 12.5 billion,” he said at the Songbird Competition and MSME Culinary Festival in Jakarta on Sunday, May 3, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Minister Budi explained that the growing number of songbird competitions stimulates economic activity, benefiting not only hobbyists but also businesses across the supply chain.

“Since these are farmed birds, there are more breeders, more breeding operations, more cage makers, more feed factories, more cricket farmers, because crickets are one of the birds’ foods, and of course, more sellers,” he said.

He emphasized that the ecosystem prioritizes environmental sustainability. “We are competing with domesticated birds, not wild ones. This is about caring for the environment and conserving songbirds,” he stated.

The government is committed to strengthening the sector by organizing higher-quality competitions, an initiative expected to expand its economic impact while preserving the songbird ecosystem. ***