Although Worried About PMK, Sukabumi Farmers Are Optimistic That The Demand For Sacrificial Animals In 2022 Will Not Drop

A sheep farm in Nangela, Baros District, Sukabumi City, West Java. (ANTARA/Aditya R))

BOGOR - Farmers of sacrificial animals in Sukabumi City, West Java, are worried about the issue of foot and mouth disease (PMK) interfering with the demand for sacrificial animals ahead of Eid al-Adha 1443 H.

One of the livestock entrepreneurs in Sukabumi City, Duduh Abdullah, said that although he was worried, he admitted that he was still optimistic about the market for sacrificial animals from his area.

"The issue of PMK which is currently infecting several regions in Indonesia has indeed worried us or the breeders and livestock business actors in Sukabumi City. However, we are still optimistic that the demand for sacrificial animals in Sukabumi City this year will increase compared to last year, " said Duduh in Sukabumi, Thursday, May 26.

According to Duduh, there are several advantages that can be taken advantage of by the issue of PMK, one of which is that the invasion of sacrificial animals that enter Sukabumi from other areas is limited, because the government and the Sukabumi City/Regency police have strictly tightened the entry of livestock from outside the area.

Then give confidence to consumers that the sacrificial animals that are prepared or sold are really in good health and do not suffer from any disease besides FMD.

Furthermore, it is no less important, namely anticipating the spread of PMK by always keeping the cage clean and providing nutritious feed plus other vitamins for the livestock that are kept.

"We are optimistic that the demand for sacrificial animals this year will increase because the government has relaxed the rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic and hopes that it will be accompanied by an increase in people's purchasing power," he added quoting Antara.

Likewise, one of the sheep breeders in Baros Sub-district, Sukabumi City, Rohman said that currently many consumers from various circles have ordered lamb to prepare for Eid al-Adha.

However, the obstacle is the unstable price of sheep in the market, so farmers must always update the current price of sheep to keep up with price developments.

Contacted separately, the Head of the Sukabumi City Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Security Service (DKP3), Andri Setiawan, appealed to the public not to panic in responding to the PMK issue, because until now his party has not received any information or reports of livestock infected with FMD.

"FMD is not contagious to humans, but farmers must remain vigilant, especially because the virus can spread quickly," he said.