Designated As PMK Outbreak Area, Extended Closure Of 5 Animal Markets In Boyolali

Illustration of a livestock trader selling goats amid the threat of PMK. (Antara-Saiful Bahri)

BOYOLALI - The Boyolali Regency Government has extended the closure of five animal markets to control the spread of foot and mouth disease (PMK) in livestock.

Boyolali Regent M Said Hidayat said the closure of these five animal markets was carried out because Boyolali was designated as an FMD outbreak area.

"We are following up on the Decree (SK) of the Minister of Agriculture No. 500/2022, related to the PMK outbreak area including the closure of the animal market to control the virus," said the Regent during an evacuation event for handling FMD at the Boyolali Agriculture and Fisheries Office (Disnakan), Central Java. , Monday July 4th.

The five animal markets in Boyolali whose closures have been extended are the Jelok Animal Market in Cepogo District, Karanggede Animal Market, Kalioso Animal Market in Nogosari District, Simo Animal Market and Ampel Animal Market.

Therefore, the Regent asked Disnakan to conduct socialization related to the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture to cover five animal markets in Boyolali until further notice.

According to the Regent, this is the best way to get joint support for the handling of this PMK, so that it can be handled as soon as possible.

The regent said that the availability of livestock for sacrifice in Boyolali is quite a lot because this area is one of the centers for cattle in Central Java, so people don't have to worry about buying sacrificial animals from house to house of farmers in PMK safe areas.

Nevertheless, the Regent asked people who need sacrificial livestock to buy in the local area of Boyolali first and not to take them from outside the area to prevent the spread of PMK.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Boyolali Regency Disnakan Lusia Dyah Suciati said that the closure of the animal market was carried out because Boyolali entered the PMK outbreak area. Supposedly, the market closing which has been going on since Monday 27 June ended on Monday 4 July.

However, the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture No. 500/2022 concerning the determination of FMD outbreaks in 19 provinces in Indonesia covers Central Java, including Boyolali Regency.

Lusia explained that the determination of the FMD outbreak was based on daily reports in Boyolali to the national animal health information system (iSikhnas). Through this system, there is an assessment that more than 50 percent of districts and cities in Central Java Province have experienced PMK suspects or red zones.

"According to the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture, Boyolali based our report through the iSikhnas application. So Boyolali is categorized as a PMK outbreak," said Lusia.

Thus, the Boyolali Regency Government closed the animal market by referring to the provisions of the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture. This animal market closure policy has been extended until further notice.

As of Monday, July 4th, 4,642 cattle suspected of FMD in Boyolali, 32 positive, 39 died from contracting FMD, and 779 recovered from FMD, and seven pegs were cut. The remaining 3,849 cases are still vaccinated and 1,896 individuals have been vaccinated.