GOVT URGED TO POSTPONE BUFFALO IMPORT FROM INDIA

 by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 15 (Antara) - The Indonesian Buffalo and Cow Breeder Association (PPSKI) has asked the government to postpone its plan to import buffalo meat from India this month because that country is still not free from foot-and-mouth disease.          PPSKI Chairman Teguh Boediyana said in Jakarta on Tuesday that his organization has sent a letter to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution and to Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, asking them to postpone plans to import buffalo meat from India.     "We, the executive of the PPSKI, implore that the government should put off its plan to buy buffalo meat, or at least delay the distribution of such meat to the market," he added.          In the letter, a copy of which was also received by Antara, the PPSKI listed a number of reasons for its demand. It said importing animal and/or ruminant animal products from a country which is not yet free from foot-and-mouth disease, was fraught with risks.          "If such a dangerous animal disease was to enter the country, it will pose a threat to the buffalo and cow breeding sector at home. It will also threaten other even-toed animals such as goats, sheep and pigs," he warned.

BEEF IMPORTS TO BRING DOWN SOARING PRICES ARRIVING

BY Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 23 (Antara) - The high demand for beef in the current fasting month of Ramadan has caused the price of the commodity to soar from some Rp90 thousand to about Rp125 thousand-Rp130 thousand per kilogram (kg).          The prices had also sky-rocketed in several regions few days before the arrival of the fasting month. Beef prices soared to Rp170 thousand per kg in Aceh, Rp160 thousand per kg in West Kalimantan, Rp120 thousand per kg in Jakarta, and Rp90 thousand per kg in cattle-rearing regions, including East Java.           President Joko Widodo had earlier given directives that commodity prices during the fasting month and its subsequent Ied Fitr, or Lebaran festivities, should not increase. The head of state made it clear that the price of beef should be maintained at Rp80 thousand per kg.          In an attempt to bring down beef prices as suggested by the president, the government is importing beef. It even diverted the commodity, which was earlier imported for food industries, to public consumers.

GOVERNMENT URGED TO LOWER BEEF PRICE

 by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 9 (Antara) - The prices of food commodities, particularly beef, in the market this week have been increasing as Muslims across the country began observing the fasting month of Ramadan.          President Joko Widodo had earlier given directives that commodity prices during the fasting month and its subsequent Eid al-Fitr, or Lebaran festivities, should not increase.          The president had made it clear that the price of beef should be maintained at Rp80 thousand per kilogram (kg).          However, the prices of food commodities, such as shallots and beef, remain high, while that of rice was successfully stabilized. Consumers believe that the price of beef has been rising steeply.          "The government has the responsibility to protect consumers from the skyrocketing prices of food commodities, particularly that of beef, which has now reached between Rp125 thousand and Rp130 thousand per kg. It has to stabilize the prices at a fair level and make it affordable to the consumers," Chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Institute Tulus Abadi noted in a press statement on Saturday (June 4).         The price of beef until this week still remained high in the market despite the government's plan to keep it under check. It seems that the plan has not been implemented optimally.

MEAT PRICES JUMP UP ONE DAY BEFORE 'LEBARAN'

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, July 27 (Antara) - Beef prices in different parts of the country drastically increased on Saturday, one day before Muslims celebrate the post-fasting Idul Fitri holidays on Monday and Tuesday.          The price increases varied from one regions to another, from about 10 percent in Jakarta for example to 55 percent in Sukabumi District, West Java.          The highest increase of beef price one day ahead of the Idul Fitri, or Lebaran day took place in a traditional market in Sukabumi, which rose by about 55 percent from that three days earlier.          "Today, the local beef  price in traditional market jumped up to Rp150 thousand per kg. However, mixed meat still could be bought at a price of Rp120 thousand per kg," beef trader coordinator at Cibadak traditional market, Suhendi told Antara on Sunday.          Suhendi explained that the rising beef price was caused by high consumers' demand in the face of the Idul Fitri festivity on Monday. The price of beef in Sukabumi two days earlier was still Rp90 thousand to Rp100 thousand per kg.          Despite rising prices, traders were overwhelmed to cater consumers' demand because stocks were running short on Sunday.

GOVT TO INCREASE MEAT IMPORT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 17 (Antara) - The government will import slaughter cows in addition to its previous planned importation of 3,000 tons of frozen beef  to stabilize rising prices and to cover shortage of supplies of beef at home.          However, the government has not yet decided the volume or the number of slaughter cattle planned in the import addition.          "I still cannot give details on the volume of the additional import plan but this is an intervention step to push down the increasing trend of beef prices today," Deputy Trade Minister  Bayu Krisnamurthi said on Wednesday.          The government step is an attempt to cover the shortage of supplies in the market and scale down the rising price of beef which has reached a range of Rp95,000 per kg from the normal price of about Rp75,000 per kg.         "We will raise imports, no matter how much we need, including the importation of slaughter cows," Bayu said.          The government has previously assigned state logistics board Bulog to import 3,000 tons of frozen beef to help overcome the beef problem.

RI NEEDS TO DEVELOP LOCAL CATTLE RANCHES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 5 (Antara) - The soaring beef price in the domestic market of late, particularly in Jakarta, has been blamed on stock shortage, lack of supply and dependence on import.          The price hikes happened amid the government's efforts to boost local breeding and to make its meat self-sufficiency program by 2014 a success.          The Agriculture Ministry has expressed optimism that the country can achieve self-reliance in meat production by 2014 despite the current high meat imports. It argued that the population of cows has always increased every year.          According to Director General of Husbandry and Animal Health at the Agriculture Ministry Syukur Iwantoro, the number of cows across the country reached 15.421 million in 2011 and the number rose to 16.656 million in 2012, he said.          "We remain optimistic that self-reliance in meat production can be achieved if it receives supports from all agencies," he said.          Therefore, the government hoped it would meet 85 percent of its meat need which reached 549 thousand tons per annum. Ranchers should therefore increase the number of their cattle which now reached about 14.8 million cows.

GOVT TAKES STEPS TO LOWER SOARING BEEF PRICE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 26 (ANTARA) - At least four ministers, two deputy ministers and the state logistics board (Bulog) head met on Monday to discuss efforts of overcoming soaring beef prices in the domestic market.          The four ministers were Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, Agriculture Minister Suswono and State-owned Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan.          The meeting was also attended by Bulog head Sutarto Alimoeso and two other deputy ministers of the ministry of finance and the ministry of public works.          "We met to discuss the problem of soaring beef prices. I think it is a simple problem: a problem of supply and demand. My concern is to maintain price stability. The price now is increasing from the previous Rp60,000 (US$6.2) per kg to RpRp95,000 (US$9.8) per kg," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said after the meeting.          Based on data available at the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the beef price in the fourth week of January 2013 was recorded at Rp90,000 (US$9.33) per kg.          This price has been in that level since the first week of December 2012. It was said that the beef price in Indonesia now was the most expensive in the world.          The World Bank recorded that the average beef price per kg in Indonesia in December 2012 was US$9.76 while prices per kg in Malaysia was US$4.3, in Thailand US$4.2, In Australia US$4.2, in Japan US$3.9, in Germany US$4.3 and in India US$7.4.

TRADERS WARNED AS RI'S BEEF PRICE HITS WORLD'S HIGHEST

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 7 (ANTARA) - Amid alleged bribery scandal on beef import, the price of beef now in Indonesia, a country of about 240 million, has hit the highest rate in the world, reaching US$9.76 per kg.          "Beef price in the market in the last three months has remained high, even it continues to increase. If this continues to take place without efforts to lower it, I am afraid it will reach Rp120 thousand (US$12.45) per kg. This rate is beyond the financial reach of consumers," Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said on Tuesday.          Based on data available at the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the beef price in the fourth week of January 2013 was recorded at Rp90,000(US$9.33) per kg. This price has been in that level since the first week of December 2012.          The World Bank recorded that the average beef price per kg in Indonesia in December 2012 was US$9.76 while prices per kg in Malaysia was US$4.3, in Thailand US$4.2, In Australia US$4.2, in Japan US$3.9, in Germany US$4.3 and in India US$7.4.          However, Agriculture Minister denied a report which said that the price of beef in Indonesia was the highest one in the world. Yet he acknowledged price in the capital city of Jakarta was relatively high.

KPK TO INVESTIGATE BEEF CASE AT AGRICULTURE MINISTRY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 6 (Antara) - Investigators will probe agriculture ministry officials after they have arrested two beef importer firm directors, one political party chief and his close associate over an alleged bribery deal on beef import worth billions of rupiah.          Johan Budi, spokesman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said his agency would not stop its investigation at only the arrest of the four suspects by his commission. He indicated that the KPK would investigate the case at the ministry of agriculture.          "We need to investigate the alleged bribery linked to the issuance of a permit for the importation of beef. In the coming one or two weeks we will invite agriculture ministry officials. If need be, we will summon the minister of agriculture to ask for clarifications," the KPK spokesman said on Tuesday.          According to KPK Chief Abraham Samad, the questioning of Agriculture Minister Suswono as a witness is important to enrich KPK's investigation. "He will be questioned soon," he added.          He said the questioning was needed to enrich KPK's investigation of the case linked to former president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq.          Samad said there were also other witnesses that would possibly be questioned besides Suswono in an effort to find possible other persons involved in the case.          The KPK has arrested Juard Effendi, Arya Abdi Effendi (both are directors of beef importer PT Indoguna Utama), Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq (a lawmaker and president of the Prosperous Justice Party /PKS) and his close friend Ahmad Fathanah.

RI EXPECTED TO RAISE BEEF IMPORT QUOTAS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 8 (ANTARA) - As national meat stocks continue to fall short, the government has called on importers to import meat based on their respective quotas, hoping that next year's quota of 80,000 tons would be increased to 100,000 tonnes.          Coordinating Minister For Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa made the appeal after he learned that the shortage of stocks was caused by importers not yet importing enough meat, based on their given quotas.          "We have calculated the need for national stocks and ordered meat based upon beef import allocations, but shortages still exist because importers have not yet imported meat based upon their quotas. So, we call on them to carry out the imports immediately," said Hatta at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, last week.          He warned importers who had obtained licenses for the importation of beef to carry out their obligations immediately, saying importers should take his appeal seriously.