Impact Of PMK, Beringkit Animal Market In Bali Closes, Losses Reaches Billions

The Beringkit Animal Market, located in Mengwitani Village, Mengwi District, Badung Regency, Bali, was temporarily closed, Wednesday (6/7). (PHOTO: Perumda).

BADUNG - Beringkit Animal Market in Mengwitani Village, Mengwi District, Badung Regency, Bali, was temporarily closed due to the discovery of an outbreak of Mouth and Nail Disease (FMD) in several areas of Bali.

This special market for cattle in the Badung Regency has been closed since July 5-19 July.

"Temporarily closed from July 5 to 19, for two weeks," said the Managing Director of the Regional Public Company (Perumda) Pasar Mangu Giri Sedana I Made Sukantra, when contacted, Wednesday, July 6.

Towards Eid al-Adha, the transaction of buying and selling cattle in the market is very high, reaching thousands of heads per day. However, because there is information about the spread of PMK in Bali and the halt in the delivery of Bali cattle outside the region, transactions have plummeted.

"As long as there is a PMK from the company, it is certain (losses) in the range of Rp. 2-Rp. 3 billion. It is not only the current closure, the PMK has previously occurred in Surabaya and has not yet entered Bali. PMK," added Sukantra.

He explained, last year before the FMD outbreak, transactions of cattle per day reached 1,000 heads. Meanwhile, this year only 700 fish per day before PMK entered the island of Bali.

"Because two or three months (before) Eid al-Adha, there has been an increase in cattle purchases because there have been preparations. This year, 700 head per day and last year it was close to 1,000, it's a transaction in the market," he said.

Meanwhile, for this year, the price of cattle in Beringkit Market has increased compared to last year. The reason is the scarcity of cows which per kilogram of meat reaches Rp. 54 thousand.

"From last year there was an increase because of the scarcity and increase. Last year it was Rp. 48 thousand per kilogram. Meanwhile, yesterday before we closed it was Rp. 54 thousand per kilogram," he said.

Cases of Mouth and Nail Disease (FMD) on the island of Bali continue to grow and now a total of 128 cows have been infected.

Initially, PMK was only found in three areas in Bali, namely Gianyar, Buleleng and Karangasem Regencies and has now been detected in Bangli Regency.

"The cases are all 128 cows. There are in Karangasem, Bangli, Gianyar and Buleleng. Of the 128, conditional slaughterers are 62. So the remaining 66 heads (which have not been destroyed) but today and tomorrow we will finish it," said the Head of the Service. I Wayan Sunada, when met at his office, Tuesday (5/7).