Cirebon to beef up meat supplies ahead of Ramadan

The Cirebon regency administration will assist local vendors to increase the supply of meat in local markets ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, which will start some time next month, due to surging demand.

“During the fasting month, the demand for meat surges significantly. So we will increase meat supplies by 100 percent. The addition is also aimed at controlling prices,” Cirebon Agricultural and Farming Agency chief Ali Effendi said Tuesday.

"Cirebon farmers can only provide 40 percent of the total need. We will import the rest of it from Central Java and East Java," Ali said.

The Cirebon regency administration, like many local administrations, purchases staple food products, such as sugar, rice and cooking oil, in order to pass on volume discounts to local vendors.

For the fasting month, the administration will purchase 3,000 cattle, up from 1,500 cattle purchased during normal months.

“Cirebon needs an average of 50 cattle per day normally. That figure increases to 100 cattle per day during Ramadan and Idul Fitri,” Ali said.

Ali predicted that the prices of meat in Cirebon would rise to Rp 65,000 (US$6.89) per kilogram, up from Rp 58,000 per kilogram, during Ramadan. (swd)