A Market For Rabbits: Yogyakarta, Central Java

By Wombat | February 19th, 2006 | 5 Comments »

I’ll be returning to Yogyakarta this year and most certainly be looking forward to the newest attraction there. A Rabbit Market has been opened in Pakem in the Kaliurang district.

Market comes on in leaps and bounds
Mimin Dwi Hartono, Contributor, Yogyakarta

If you visit Yogyakarta, especially the renowned Kaliurang holiday resort in the northern part of the city, it will be worth your while to drop in at the newly established rabbit market in Pakem.

Located on Jl. Kaliurang, kilometer 19, the market is along the road to the famous resort, which offers cool weather and beautiful vistas of Mt. Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

Opened at the beginning of this year, the market offers a variety of rabbits sold as pets, both domestic and foreign breeds, as well as rabbits that have been raised for their meat.

If you like, you can also taste the sate kelinci (grilled rabbit meat on skewers) at a small food stall in the market.

Free consultation services are available from experienced rabbit breeders and vendors, for those interested in learning how to raise rabbits at home either as a hobby or for commercial breeding.

According to the chairman of the Association of Pakem Farmers Markets, Jiman Susanto, it was decided the area needed a special market dedicated to selling rabbits, as both pets and meat.

Even though there are 61 members of the Association of Yogyakarta-Central Java Rabbit Breeders, until this year there was not a single market in either province dedicated just to rabbits.

“We wanted to have a market that specializes in rabbits,” said Jiman, who is also the coordinator of the rabbit breeders association.

Although the market, which occupies an open building, is currently open only on Sundays and official holidays, it has already done a lot to help rabbit buyers and sellers in the area.

Bayu, 36, a rabbit trader from the Central Java town of Magelang, said he used to sell his rabbits at various animal markets.

“It was far from ideal, especially for buyers, because there are so many different kinds of animals on offer in these mixed markets,” Bayu said.

To make it more convenient for buyers, therefore, most rabbit traders used to make house calls for their customers. As a result, there was almost no standard price for rabbits.

“Since the market opened, buyers have a variety of rabbits to choose from and can buy them at relatively standard prices,” said Bayu, adding the market also cut down his transportation costs.

Both Bayu and Jiman, and most of the traders in the market, agree that demand for rabbits has been on the rise of late.

In Yogyakarta, said Jiman, demand was 300 rabbits a day, with the Australian variety the favorite breed for meat.
So it is no surprise the market has thrived since its opening.

Australian rabbits that are raised for their meat, for example, usually fetch between Rp 15,000 and Rp 35,000 each, while rabbits sold as pets generally fetch more.

An imported American Sable rabbit, for example, sells for about Rp 250,000, while a British Angora rabbit can go as high as Rp 550,000. A Fuji Love rabbit costs about Rp 700,000, making it the most expensive bunny in the market.

Demand for rabbit pelts has also risen, but Jiman said local breeders were unable to meet the demand.
Breeders hope the new market will help increase the rabbit supply in the area, and help suppliers diversify.

“At a time like this, when the government appears to be ignoring us, farmers have to help themselves,” said Jiman, expressing pride the market rabbit breeders helped establish was the first of its kind in the region.