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Ministers told to seriously handle soaring beef prices
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told his ministers not to play blame games among themselves in relation to stabilizing beef prices, which continue to soar
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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told his ministers not to play blame games among themselves in relation to stabilizing beef prices, which continue to soar. According to the President, soaring beef prices is related to problems in issuing an import permit.
'I've seen the beef-related problems continue without end. I talked to the trade minister yesterday and asked where an import permit actually comes from. He said from here, our own country -- not New York or Geneva. If we had to go to a faraway place to obtain a permit, then it may make sense that it takes a long time to get one,' said Yudhoyono on Saturday as quoted by Kompas.com.
The President said if the problem of the import permit was within the country, it should be able to be resolved immediately. He also urged the ministers stop pointing the finger at each other in response to soaring beef prices.
'They should not shift responsibility among each other. The [importation] procedure at the Agriculture Ministry and the State Logistics Agency [Bulog] is too bureaucratic,' said Yudhoyono.
Beef is selling for Rp 70,000 (US$7) to Rp 100,000 per kilogram, up from Rp 50,000. Bulog plans to import around 800 tons of frozen beef from Australia as part of the 3,000-ton quota set for importation of the commodity to stabilize beef prices. (apt/ebf)
