January 16, 2013

Speaking in Kulon Progo regency Yogyakarta province, Agriculture Deputy Minister Rusman Heriawan said that the beef import allocation consisted of 48,000 tonnes raw meat that equals to 288,000 cows and 32,000 tonnes of frozen beefs.

Rusman said that the beef and cows import allocation figure this year was lower compared to a total of 92,000 tonnes last year. He added that it was because the estimated beef consumption in the country would reduce to 14.5% from overall meat consumption mix this year from 18.4% last year.

"The spirit from reducing the beef import this year was intended to encourage bolster meat and livestock production of domestic cow breeders so as to attain beef self-sufficiency in the country," Rusman said during his visit in an animal husbandry in the regency, adding that beef self-sufficiency in the country was initially targeted in 2014.

"The term of beef self-sufficiency in the country should not be assumed of stopping beef imports from foreign countries," the minister said. He added that the government would put limitation on beef import down to 10% from national needs, for consumption in hospitality industries such as in lavish hotels.