Securing Stocks For Fasting And Eid, Bulog Will Import 80,000 Tons Of Buffalo Meat From India

President Director of Bulog Budi Waseso. (Photo: Doc. Bulog)

JAKARTA - Perum Bulog received an assignment to import buffalo meat from India with a total of 80,000 tons for this year, in order to meet the need for meat consumption, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr which falls in May 2021.

President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso explained that the food BUMN had proposed importing buffalo meat in anticipation of the increase in beef prices ahead of Ramadan and Eid. The assignment to import buffalo meat has also been decided at a Limited Coordination Meeting (Rakortas) at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

"We are proposing to import meat, especially facing fasting and Eid, because the need will increase so that in advance of submitting it. It has been decided in the coordination meeting that Bulog gets 80,000 tons of buffalo meat imports, single," Budi Waseso said in a virtual Bulog press conference, quoted as saying. from Antara, Wednesday 3 February.

Buwas, as he is usually called, explained that importation will be carried out in stages, according to market needs, so that the price of meat produced by local breeders does not fall and price stabilization can be maintained.

According to Buwas, people are now familiar with the consumption of buffalo meat, and are even able to reduce the price of beef that is volatile in the market.

Bulog will also conduct an auction process for potential meat suppliers in India. However, he could not confirm the delivery time, given the regional quarantine policy that the Indian government could implement at any time.

"We have not conducted an auction because we just got the letter. We have just made a letter administration which will be followed up with an open invitation to potential suppliers," said Buwas.

Buwas hopes that the realization of this import is in accordance with the allocation that has been given by the Government, which is 80,000 tons throughout 2021. Unlike last year, Bulog could only import 37,000 tons, out of an allotment of 100,000 tons.