Government Will Compensate Rp10 Million For One Cattle Destroyed Due To PMK, Boyolali Regent Still Waiting For Central Instructions

Veterinarians examine cows to prevent the spread of an outbreak of the mouth and nail disease (FMD) virus. (Antara-Rivan Awal L)

JAKARTA - The government plans to provide assistance to residents whose livestock must be destroyed due to foot and mouth disease (PMK). The value reaches Rp. 10 million per one head of livestock.

This plan was well received by farmers in Boyolali Regency, Central Java. Triyanto, one of the farmers in Boyolali, said they really need help from the government.

"I feel sorry for the farmers. I welcome the government program to replace livestock owned by farmers who died because of PMK," he said, as reported by Antara.

Triyanto admitted that he had 10 dairy cows that were positive for FMD, including one calf two weeks old that died.

He hoped that the government would not only provide assistance related to dead cows, but also direct cash assistance such as in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of PMK makes the economic conditions of farmers more difficult.

He stated that he agreed with the extermination of cattle affected by PMK with severe conditions for further compensation of Rp. 10 million per head. However, he did not agree that the FMD positive cows, which could still be treated, were instead destroyed solely to get the Rp10 million reimbursement.

Boyolali Regent M. Said Hidayat explained that until now there has been no technical guidance from the central government regarding assistance for replacing cows destroyed due to PMK, especially those belonging to the MSME breeders.

The Boyolali Regency Government will first look at the technical instructions to support the central government's program.

Until now, the local district government is still focusing on handling and collecting data related to the anticipation of the wider spread of PMK.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (Disnakan) of Boyolali Regency is gradually getting vaccination assistance from the central government to overcome the FMD outbreak, with the first phase of 1,900 doses of vaccine.

The local Disnakan has been asked to schedule vaccinations for livestock in priority areas. Vaccination of livestock is adjusted to the number of vaccines received by implementing a priority scale first.

During vaccination, he said, the operation of the animal market was still closed, to minimize the spread of FMD.

He asked the community, especially farmers, to be patient and together with the government to find a solution to the FMD outbreak.

He hoped that the breeders would not first buy livestock from outside Boyolali to prevent further spread of FMD.

Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the government would prepare compensation funds for cattle slaughtered by farmers due to PMK. The compensation fund is IDR 10 million per cow, especially for MSME breeders.