Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas said that imports of feeder or live cattle were increased by 184 thousand head, bringing the total to 534 thousand head.
Zulhas also said that previously the import quota for live cattle in 2025 was 350 thousand heads. This addition is an effort to increase beef production, so that it is hoped that later there will be no more frozen beef imports.
"So, I have said that if we focus on (cattle) for fattening, we will just let them be free, no need for quotas anymore. If we want fattening, that means the frozen meat is regulated," said Zulhas, in Jakarta, Friday.
According to Zulhas, importing live cattle can empower breeders and farmers. Because, the cattle will be managed directly by breeders.
In addition, the addition of live cattle imports aims for Indonesia to gain added value from a commodity. Whereas if only frozen meat is imported, it will only be sold directly to consumers, without involving breeders and farmers.
"There are farmers, there are grass farmers, there are corn feed. So many are involved. But if it is frozen, there is no added value, from there it comes here and is sold directly, so the price can be cheaper than if we fatten it," he said again.
For frozen beef imports, said Zulhas, the quota is set at 180 thousand tons.
Meanwhile, the frozen buffalo meat quota was decided to be cut by 100 thousand tons, from 200 thousand tons.
According to Zulhas, this was done because domestic demand for frozen buffalo meat is relatively small.
"The request from the Ministry of Agriculture is 200 thousand tons, but only a few have arrived to date. So we are reducing it by half," Zulhas also said.
