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Local breeders welcome court decision on cattle and meat imports
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A cattle breeder milks a cow in Penyaring village, North Moyo district, Sumbawa regency, West Nusa Tenggara. (Antara/Ahmad Subaidi)
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ocal breeders have welcomed the Constitutional Court’s decision on cattle and meat imports, which they claim will ban buffalo meat imports from India, except in emergency situations.
Cow and Buffalo Breeders Association (PPSKI) chairman Teguh Boediyana said that meat purchased from countries prone to foot and mouth disease (FMD) could only happen during specific occurrences like natural disasters leading to beef shortages.
“The government’s reason for allowing buffalo meat imports [from India] last year wasn’t because of a natural disaster, but merely high beef prices. As it was not triggered by an urgent situation, this means there must be no more [buffalo meat] imports [from India],” he said after the reading of the court’s decision on Tuesday.
However, the Constitutional Court decided to maintain most of the provisions of a judicial review of the 2014 Animal Health and Husbandry Law.
Petitioners, namely breeders, sellers of dairy products and veterinarians, had earlier demanded the court prohibit imports of feedlot cattle and meat from countries prone to FMD.
They claimed that cheap Indian buffalo meat hurt the local cattle-breeding industry.
The court rejected the petition, but stressed that imports of meat and live cattle could only be made as long as they complied with principles of prudence and maximum security to avoid FMD and if there was a national beef shortage. (lnd)
