JAKARTA - The government has ensured a new strategy in meeting national meat needs. If so far there have been more imports in the form of frozen meat, now the government has begun to shift the pattern by increasing the procurement of live cattle to then grow domestically.
Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi said that the continued economic impact with the increase in the procurement of live shuttles and continued development in the country is believed to be able to develop local livestock.
Therefore, he said the government would start reducing the number of frozen meat procurement from abroad and open the procurement of live shuttles of various types.
"Mr. Coordinating Minister for Food, according to the President's direction, wants to develop live cows. So it's not direct meat imported, but cows in life. So that rural economies can move, there is breeding and obesity there," said Arief after a limited coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Sector, Jakarta, Thursday, October 2.
Arief added that the future import scheme will adjust to domestic needs. If local production is sufficient, meat imports will be suppressed.
"So the Coordinating Minister said that when the meat is limited, the cows are enlarged. If that's not the case, our livestock will not develop," he said.
Arief said that one of the needs for supply from abroad is based on the Food Balance Projection for beef or buffalo.
As of September 2, domestic beef/cash production throughout 2025 is estimated at 555,100 tons. This is an increase of about 17.8 percent compared to 2024 which is 471,200 tons.
Meanwhile, the projected year-long requirement in 2025 ranges from 766,900 tons, so there is a deficit between production and consumption.
"We should give appreciation to our friends at the Ministry of Agriculture who continue to increase domestically foreign meat production gradually. Domestic production must still be prioritized to meet the needs of the community," said Arief.
Regarding the development of the price of ruminant meat as monitored in the NFA Food Price Panel, as of October 1, it is still quite stable. The national average price of beef is at IDR 134,900 per kilogram (kg). This decreased by 0.17 percent compared to the previous month which was IDR 135,133 per kg.
Meanwhile, the average price of local buffalo meat was IDR 141,080 per kg and decreased by 0.20 percent compared to the previous month which was IDR 141,361 per kg.
Furthermore, according to Arief, promoting the breeding and fatting of live cows in the country will create a further economic impact. Meanwhile, if procurement is only in the form of frozen meat, the economic impact is very limited.
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"Because of our economy, if there is guidance and obesity, there are those who die, some give greenness, some give feed. There is a workforce to breed and increase it. So it's not just buying meat, after that the profits are only in traders and importers," said Arief.
In addition, Arief also revealed the government's plan to cultivate live cows through the Red and White Village Cooperative network. Through this scheme, it can create benefits for the people's economy.
"Earlier there was also input, so in Kopdes-kopdes, later every village should also have live cows. For example, buying 3 million tails, then later in 3, 4, to 5 months it could be 15 million-20 million. This is the farmer who can get gains, get profits from there, "concluded Arief.
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