DKI buys 7,500 cows from Australia, Pramono: If you don't import, the price will definitely go up. 

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has imported 7,500 cows from Australia to maintain supply and suppress the potential for price increases in meat ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. To date, around 3,100 have arrived in Jakarta.

DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said imports were carried out through BUMD Perumda Dharma Jaya because the supply from within the country was not enough to meet the needs of the Capital City.

Pramono explained that previously the DKI Provincial Government had prepared an option for supplying cows from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). However, the number is still considered insufficient to meet Jakarta's needs. This was revealed by Pramono upon the arrival of imported cows in Jakarta.

"Actually we have prepared for this cow to be from NTT as well. But the reality is that it is still lacking so that with the lack of it, it must be imported from outside. If not, the price will definitely rise high," said Pramono at the Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, Monday, February 23.

According to Pramono, imports are an anticipation step so that meat prices remain under control. He also ensures that the condition of imported cattle is healthy and not indicated by disease.

"The condition of those from Australia is healthy because there is no indication of foot and mouth disease (FMD), there is none so that the 2,000 who have come to Jakarta, later from 7,500, there is not one that is indicated to be sick," he said.

In addition, Pramono assessed that the stability of meat prices was one of the important factors in controlling inflation in Jakarta, especially ahead of religious holidays. The import of cattle is one way to suppress the increase in meat prices caused by scarcity due to increased demand.

"The main inflation factor in Jakarta is welcoming Idulfitri, Ramadan, usually meat, chili, yes rice, but thank God the three main ones hopefully in Jakarta will not experience a significant increase," said Pramono.

Meanwhile, the President Director of Perumda Dharma Jaya Raditya Endra Budiman said that the current available meat stock reached 1,000 tons. In addition, cows that are in the process of fattening are also prepared to meet Ramadan needs.

"Currently our stock is 1,000 tons and we are still repeating orders for the meat. Indeed, for this one, we are currently down 590 heads but our stock is now 1,500. So, that's what we will use for Ramadan," he explained.

For the medium term, Dharma Jaya plans to manage the grass land in Ciangir as a location for fattening cattle. Pramono ensures that the plan will be processed so that in the future the meat needs of Jakarta can be more fulfilled and managed directly by the food BUMD.