Trade Minister Lutfi Says There Has Been A Shift In Meat Consumption From Cows To Buffaloes: For Example, In Padang Rendang

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi said that currently there has been a shift in meat consumption. From what initially people bought a lot of beef, now buffalo are also starting to be liked by the community.

"Buffalo meat is actually very popular. For example, Padang people use buffalo meat when they eat rendang. So there has been a shift (in consumption of meat)," said Lutfi, in Jakarta, Thursday, April 14.

Therefore, according to Lutfi, the government together with the National Food Agency will prepare frozen buffalo meat to be supplied domestically. This is so that people can consume meat other than beef in the month of Ramadan and Eid 2022.

Furthermore, Lutfi admitted that before, buffalo meat was not in demand by the Indonesian people. This is because the way to sell it is different from beef on the market.

"At first they didn't like it because the way of selling it was different. But now people have started to like it and the price difference is pretty good, so people have started to switch to buffalo meat," he said.

As is known, the government has assigned Bulog to import 100,000 tons of frozen buffalo meat from India to meet domestic food needs throughout 2022, especially during this year's Ramadan and Eid.

Bulog President Director Budi Waseso said that currently there are 20,000 tons of buffalo meat imported from India to Indonesia. For acceleration, Buwas said Bulog will come with another 36,000 tons. According to him, the meat that has arrived is directly distributed to the retail market to be sold to the public.

The selling price of buffalo meat set by Bulog is in the range of IDR 80,000 per kilogram (Kg). Buwas also warned of irregularities in the sale of meat in the retail market. This is because the price difference is quite far.

The price of buffalo meat sold by Bulog is much cheaper than the current market price of meat, where the average price is set at around Rp. 120,000 to Rp. 130,000 per kg.

"So later there will be (buffalo meat) in retail, including at Alfamart, Indomaret, the price is IDR 80,000 per kg, don't let anyone sell it. More than that, it means there are irregularities," Buwas told reporters in Jakarta, Thursday, April 14.