Beef Prices Skyrocket, ID FOOD Boss Says There's An Import Delayed Andil

JAKARTA - ID FOOD President Director Frans Marganda Tambunan opened his voice about the increase in beef prices at the beginning of Ramadan.

He said the delay in importing beef from Brazil also made the price of meat rise.

As is known, throughout 2024, ID FOOD has received an assignment from the government through the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to import 20,000 tons of beef from Brazil.

As for the Bapanas price panel, as of March 13, the national average beef price is IDR 135,450 per kilogram (kg). The highest price is IDR 164,890 per kg in North Kalimantan Province and the lowest price is IDR 113,430 per kg in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

"There is (assuming the intervention into the market) so our importation is also late from Brazil, but actually I don't want to be completely involved," he said after a meeting with Commission VI of the DPR, at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, March 13.

Currently, said Frans, his party has obtained an import permit for Brazilian beef. However, he said, the procurement process to within the country took 50 days. That way, it is expected to enter after Eid 2024.

"Brazil is here for 50 days, so it runs out of Eid (until)," he said.

Availability Of Capital Becomes Obstacles

Frans admitted that the availability of capital is an obstacle for ID FOOD to realize the assignment of beef imports to date.

In previous years, said Frans, working capital was obtained at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, continued Frans, the process of disbursing loans from the government only started in early 2024. Thus, it also has an impact on the late realization of beef imports.

"Fasting, Eid is the third month, actually if we have money we have to start stuck at the end of the year to take it to the beginning of the year," he said.

Therefore, Frans hopes that in the future loans from the government for ID FOOD can be disbursed by the end of the year.

That way, ID FOOD can provide beef supply from both local and imported.

"If it is possible, next year it will be late or not importing, we have working capital, we can stock it to take it to the beginning of the year," he said.

In addition to the availability of capital, Frans said another obstacle faced by his party was the delay in import permits from the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag).

Frans admitted that not all import permits were pocketed by his side. In fact, some are still in the procurement process.

"Not yet (realized) because there are those who have not received approval, there are others who want the procurement process," he explained.