Indonesia to import meat from Australia, India, Mexico to meet Ramadan demand

Photo: Unidentified local beef trader slicing beef for sale at Tanjung Traditional Market in March 2016. Robby Fakhriannur / Shutterstock, Inc.

Indonesia’s government will import meat from Australia, India, and Mexico to meet the rise in domestic consumption during Ramadan, Oke Nurwan, director general of foreign trade at the trade ministry told Salaam Gateway.

“During the fasting month, consumption of meat usually rises by 15 percent from the average 50,414 tonnes of meat consumed per month,” said Nurwan.

“We will import 36,000 tonnes of buffalo meat from India, and the rest are meat from Australia and Mexico. Last week our importers met with traders from Mexico. We’re not limiting importers (by the quota schemes), as long as they meet the requirement under the ministry of trade regulation 59/ 2016,” he added.

The regulation covers the issuance of import permits for animals and animal products.

The government estimates meat consumption for May and June will reach 116,000 tonnes, which will be met by local stock of 356,620 cattle that is equivalent to around 62,400 tonnes of meat, and 12,025 tonnes of import stock as of the middle of May.

The government will also import 36,000 tonnes of buffalo meat from India through state-owned logistics board Bulog.

According to Nurwan, the government has been importing meat since January to meet domestic demand. Imports have reached 157,000 cattle and 86,000 tonnes up to the second week of May.

The government estimates meat consumption will reach 604,968 tonnes this year.

Domestic farmers will supply around 354,820 tonnes, equivalent to 60 percent of the total need.

The government imports both live cattle and meat to meet domestic consumption.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Indonesia is aiming for beef self-sufficiency by 2025 and needs 42 million cattle from its current stock of 5.6 million female cattle.

Ketut Diarmita, general director of livestock and animal health at the ministry of agriculture said the government is trying to reduce imports of cattle for breeding by developing artificial insemination so that breeding productivity will increase.

“We distribute 5,000 cattle for breeding to the farmers this year. We also plan to import 30,000 cattle for breeding next year, and with the 1:5 import scheme under ministerial decree number 49/2016 we hope to reach self-sufficiency in meat by 2025,” he said.

Indonesia’s 1:5 ratio for cow importation requires one breeder for every five feeders imported. The government will start auditing the implementation of the 1:5 rule at the end of 2018.

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