EGG INDUSTRY

Egg salting is one way of keeping eggs last longer commonly practiced. Salted eggs are one of protein sources easily available and relatively cheap. Salted eggs as a food stuff being preserved have much higher resistance of being bad/damaged compared with fresh eggs. Eggs generally contain 13% of protein, 12% of fat, minerals, and vitamins. Besides lasting longer, salted eggs are popular/preferred because they are more delicious than ordinary fresh plain eggs.

The biggest consumers of salted egg products are middle to low class society as these eggs can be a cheap source of animal protein. Most of salted consumers are people living in big cities. In addition to being consumption in households, other potential consumers are restaurants, food stalls, ships, hospitals, dormitories, catering services, etc.

Development in salted egg industry can encourage development in duck breeding/farming, and thus it will improve income of duck breeders, who are mostly people of rural areas. Hence, salted egg industry can be one of promising businesses that can improve the welfare of middle to low class people and it can decrease dependence on expensive source of protein such as meat.

Main production areas of salted eggs are generally located in the same areas of producing centres of salted eggs. In 2004, the biggest producers of duck eggs were West Java Province with the production of 37,447 tons, South Sulawesi Province producing 22,153 tons, and South Kalimantan with the production of 20,105 tons. In West Java Province, centres of duck eggs are among others found in the regencies of Indramayu and Cirebon. In Kapetakan subdistrict, Cirebon Regency, which is the survey area of this study, there are 95 units of small and middle scale business of salted eggs. In Losari Subdistrict Cirebon Regency, there are 10 units of small and middle ones. In addition to those, there are also other producers of salted eggs having their business in Cirebon Regency and its surrounding areas.