August 8, 2024

Indonesia aims for beef self-sufficiency by 2045

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to prioritise increasing the breeder cow population as a key strategy for achieving beef self-sufficiency, as part of a broader vision to transform Indonesia into a global food powerhouse by 2045, Antara reported.

The country's Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono stated that Indonesia requires 600,000 breeder dairy cows and an equal number of breeder beef cattle. "We need a total of 1.2 million breeder cows to realise this goal," he emphasised.

Sudaryono assured that this focus on boosting the breeder cow population would not impede the government's ongoing efforts to gradually reduce Indonesia's cattle imports. He underscored the necessity of comprehensive preparations to support the targeted number of breeder cows, including essential infrastructure such as land, roads, and ports.

He pointed out Indonesia's successful cow artificial insemination programmes in Malang, East Java, and West Bandung, West Java. "We have mastered the technology to produce both male and female calves," he stated. "This capability will significantly increase our breeder cow population."

Sudaryono also highlighted the government's upcoming free lunch programme as a potential accelerator for achieving dairy self-sufficiency. The programme's pilot phase, which included providing schoolchildren with milk as part of their meals in several regions, demonstrated its positive impact.

He said early and thorough planning will ensure the successful implementation of both the breeder cow initiative and the free lunch programme, ultimately paving the way for Indonesia's food self-sufficiency goals.

-      Antara