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Indonesia
Limit Frozen Meat Import
Jakarta — Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian Lower House of Representative, Zuber Safawi, asks the government to limit frozen meat import. “This is to encourage local cattle farmers to meet the domestic market demand,” said Zuber on Monday (21/3/2011).
Zuber also states that meat self-sufficiency must be achieved gradually, one step is to limit frozen meat import. “To fill in the lack of domestic meat supply, it is better for the government to import feeder cattle,” he suggested.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture states that domestic meat consumption reaches 480,000 tons annually or is equivalent ot 3 million beef cattle. To achieve that figure, Indonesia needs a cattle population of at least 21 million heads.
But, currently, our local cattle population is just over 13 million heads. “We are 8 million cattle short, this can be fulfilled by importing feeder cattle,” said Zuber.
(Imam Prihadiyoko | Ed: Erlangga Djumena)
Source : Kompas