City short 6,700 tons of meat for holiday

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JAKARTA: To meet demand during the Ramadhan fasting month and Idul Fitri holiday, meat suppliers in Jakarta propose a loosening of the quota for imported beef.

Head of the Beef Committee in Jakarta, Sarman Simanjorang, said that the quota for the second half of the year was 8,300 tons but demand could reach 15,000 tons during the holy month alone.

“We need an additional quota of 6,700 tons to prevent a jump in meat prices. There is a tendency for meat prices to increase due to thinning stock while the fasting month is only two weeks away. It’s natural to see price increases ahead of big holidays, but they should not exceed public’s purchasing power,” Sarman was quoted by tribunnews.com on Sunday.

Every year meat suppliers see a threefold increase in demand during the fasting month ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday, especially from hotels, restaurants, cafes and caterering businesses.