GOVT IMPORTING BUFFALO MEAT TO STABILIZE MEAT PRICES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 7 (Antara) - The government will import 100 thousand tons of buffalo meat in an effort to help stabilize the meat prices since beef is still being sold at a relatively high price of Rp100 thousand per kilogram (kg).          Buffalo meat is being imported as it is relatively cheaper at about Rp65 thousand per kg, even though some consumers in Asia, including in Indonesia, do not particularly have a taste for it. As a result, a few negative voices were being heard from among the traders as well as consumers against this plan.          However, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said the government will continue its plan to import buffalo meat from India to meet the people's need for meat in view of the high prices of beef at home.          "We will continue importing the commodity as long as consumers need it," Minister Amran stated on the sidelines of an exhibition on food and domestically produced goods that opened at Mandala Kredia Square, Yoyakarta, on Thursday (Oct 6).          According to detikFood¿s online publication recently, the nutritional content of beef and buffalo meat does differ.

MK EXPECTED TO END CONTROVERSIES OVER IMPORT OF MEAT

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 20 (Antara) - A Constitutional Court's (MK's) verdict over the judicial review of a law on animal health is expected to overcome controversies arising from the government's plan to import meat from nations not free from animal diseases.          According to the Indonesian Buffalo and Cow Breeders Association (PPSKI), the MK's decision over the judicial review of Law No. 41 of 2014 on the amendment of Law No.18 of 2009 on animal husbandry and animal health will end the controversies.          The government is planning to import buffalo meat from India in an effort to encourage competition in meat sales and bring down the skyrocketing domestic beef prices.          However, several quarters are opposed to the government's plan as India is believed to be a nation that is not yet free from cattle foot-and-mouth disease, apart from the consumption culture of Indonesians, who are not accustomed to eating buffalo meat.         Hence, PPSKI Chairman Teguh Boediyana stated that his organization had called on the MK to soon issue a decision on the judicial review of Article 36 of Law No.41 of 2014 on the amendment of Law No.18 of 2009 on animal husbandry and animal health.     "The article to be reviewed concerns provisions allowing the importation of animals or animal products not based on a country but a zone," Teguh noted.

GOVT TO IMPORT BUFFALO MEAT FROM INDIA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 18 (Antara) - The government is planning to import buffalo meat from India in an effort to bring down the price of beef at home which is still high at Rp120 thousand per kilogram (kg).          The head of the Quarantine Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Banun Harpini, said his agency is preparing a quarantine protocol in coordination with the Indian government to facilitate Indonesia's plans to import buffalo meat. Indonesia will seek guarantee from India regarding the quality of meat so that it meets the country's requirements.           "We hope the imported product meets the import protocol of the director general of animal husbandry," Banun was quoted as saying by Tempo.com news portal on Tuesday (July 12).          The quarantine agency is, therefore, focusing on cooperation with India on buffalo meat import. The quarantine protocol is expected to be completed later this month.          The State Logistics Board (Bulog) has been assigned to  import the commodity.          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stressed that the plan to import buffalo meat is aimed at shoring up the meat supply at home and provide consumers with alternative meat. The government will import not only buffalo meat and innards but also frozen beef.

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.

INDONESIA TO IMPORT CATTLE TO OVERCOME BEEF SHORTAGE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 11 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has decided to import 50 thousand heads of cattle and to conduct market operations as a short-term solution to overcome the current shortage of beef in various regions.         "During a coordination meeting, the government has decided to import cattle and conduct market operations to provide a short-term solution to the scarcity of meat in the market. The market operations will be conducted by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog)," Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil stated on Monday.          For this purpose, the government will issue a permit to Bulog to import 50 thousand slaughter cattle.          "This is a very short-term policy. A mid-term policy until the end of the year should first be reported to the president," Djalil remarked during a joint press conference with Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel and Bulog President Director Djarot Kusumayakti.          He noted that the imported cattle would be slaughtered once they arrive in the country to meet the public's beef requirement. The government also hoped that the feedlot farmers would also release their cattle, so that the meat traders would return to their regular activities again.

MUSLIM CONSUMERS WARNED OF PORK-TAINTED MEAT

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, July 16 (Antara) - Amid increasing need for beef in the face of the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities or 'Lebaran', Muslim consumers are warned of pork-tainted meat circulating in the market.          Consumption of meat is on the rise in the fasting month of Ramadan, particularly in the face of the Lebaran festivities, yet several consumers failed to distinguish between beef and pork.     As Muslims are not permitted to consume swine meat, they have to exercise caution while buying beef. After all, numerous cases have surfaced wherein beef was mixed with pork before it was sold to consumers in the market.          Beef is adulterated with cheaper wild boar meat that is smuggled from Sumatra to Java and is sold in the traditional markets.          "Seeing an increase in the number of cases of illegal smuggling of swine meat, we can conclude that there are parties who are trying to benefit from the Ramadan fasting month by mixing beef with pork," Agriculture Minister Suswono stated while destroying a total of 7.4 tons of illegal wild boar meat in Cilegon, Banten, on Wednesday.

SOME 170,000 SLAUGHTER COWS PREPARED FOR RAMADAN NEEDS

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, June 28 (Antara) - The government is preparing some 170 thousand heads of cattle, to meet the demand for meat during the fasting month of Ramadan and the post-fasting Idul Fitri or Lebaran festivities.          Besides, the government is also planning to increase the beef reference price from the current Rp76,000 per kg to Rp85,000 per kg, in an effort to help cattle farmers obtain incentives, so that they can raise pedigree and feedlot cows.          However, in anticipation of the fasting month of Ramadan, the price of meat has been increasing and is expected to reach between Rp100 thousand and Rp130 thousands per kg in a number of provinces. Though, in several other regions, the price of beef is reportedly still stable.          Therefore, the government is preparing about 170 thousands of cattle to meet the need for beef during the fasting month which begins on Sunday, June 29, 2014 (the country's second largest Muslim organization has started fasting on Saturday, June 28).          Agriculture Minister Suswono, during a visit to West Java on Wednesday, expressed his confidence that the need for meat during the fasting month would be met. With a stock of 170,000 heads of cows, supplies of meat during the fasting month and the Lebaran festivities will be adequate.

RI UNLIKELY TO ACHIEVE MEAT SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN 2014

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 26 (Antara) - With its cattle population dropping this year, Indonesia, which consumes about 550 thousand tons of meat per year, seems unlikely to meet its meat self-sufficient production target in 2014.          "Seeing its cattle population decline now, it seems that Indonesia will face difficulties in meeting its meat self-sufficiency target in the near future. The government still needs at least five more years to bring the target into reality," Bustanul Arifin, agriculture and animal husbandry observer, said on Thursday.          In the past several years, the government, through the Directorate General of Animal Husbandry, set a target that in 2014 Indonesia should have been able to produce meat that met its domestic needs.          However, Indonesia's cattle population this year is believed to be lower than in 2012, which stood at about 16.4 million. As of October this year, Indonesia's cattle population dropped to 14.2 million.

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.