Traditional cattle market shapes prices

Jongker Rumteh ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Manado   |  Tue, 07/08/2008 10:21 AM  |  The Archipelago

People who have been to North Sulawesi may have heard the term "blante", which means "to barter". This word comes from the name of a traditional cattle market, Blante, in Kawangkoan district, Minahasa regency, where people barter, buy and sell their cattle.

CATTLE TRADING: People buy and sell cattle at a traditional market in Kawangkoan district in Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi. (JP/Jongker Rumteh)

The market is located quite far from the provincial capital of Manado -- about 75 kilometers or 1.5 hours' drive. Despite its distance from the city center, Blante market has become a benchmark for cattle markets across North Sulawesi. The market is open every Thursday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Cows account for most of the available livestock; the rest are horses.

Those who want to sell or barter their cows or horses simply come to a broker, the person who deals with the buyers. Sellers never deal directly with the buyers -- they just set the prices for their cattle and entrust the deals to the brokers.

The cattle owners can sit and watch the brokers seek out buyers and haggle with them. They will see how the brokers try to persuade the buyers to buy the cattle they offer.

The sellers who come to Blante market come not only from North Sulawesi but also from Central Sulawesi. About 80 of the 100 cows that are brought here are sold or bartered.

"People here can trade a first-class quality calf for three cows of second-class quality," said Yance Mewekang, 52, a broker.

The traders used to operate in an open area of less than one hectare. The market developed as the traders grew in number. The local government then constructed a permanent building, which includes a cattle health center and an office for the market director.

The special thing here is the crucial role of the brokers. Qualified brokers need thorough knowledge of cattle and trends in market prices. They also need to have experience in trading and to spend time visiting farms across the province and inspecting the cattle themselves.

Yance said he learned about "blante" from his father. He then got interested in "blante" and became a broker in 1976.

"Even though we do not have a farm ourselves, we have good knowledge about cattle and we can estimate the price by inspecting their condition. We can also estimate their price for the following month," he said.

Most people in the province raise "Onggole" cows, which are whitish-gray with long legs, a large hump over the shoulders and large dewlaps. This kind of cow usually works pulling plows or carts and is productive for up to 2.5 years. These cows can fetch as much as Rp 30 million (US$3,300) per pair. The people here do not raise beef cattle, Yance said.

The brokers enjoy good business after the clove harvest in August -- for which the province is famous -- because during this season the price of cattle usually increases sharply and many traders come from outside North Sulawesi to sell their cattle.

"We usually get big profits when the season comes," Yance said.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.