October 23, 2006

Indonesia imports 30,000 cattle for end of Ramadan

Indonesia has imported at least 30,000 cattle for the Id Fiesta (Id-Al-fitr) on Tuesday (Oct 24), which signals the end of the Ramadan fasting month, Australian media reported.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. The last fast would be broken this evening and the food festivities begin with prayer tomorrow morning for the Muslim faith, ABC network in Australia  reported.

Greg Pankhurst from Agrogiri Perkasa, the largest importer of Australian cattle, said he expects 20,000 cattle to be sold in the coming days, although feedlot sales have been slower this year.

Although sales in recent days have doubled, importers would not be able to make any cattle sales in the next few days as most people would have their meat stocks in hand.

Agrogiri Perkasa is the Indonesian joint venture partner of Australia's Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC) which has cattle stations across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.