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Association says permit issuance to blame for Ramadan beef shortage
Importers say they will need at least 50,000 tonnes of beef to fulfill the high demand during Idul Fitri and keep prices in check.
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A man buys beef at Cijantung market in Jakarta on April 6, 2021. (JP/Yulianto Catur Nugroho)
B
usinesses say Indonesia is facing beef shortages during Ramadan after the government delayed the issuance of import permits for the commodity, which will likely translate to higher prices for consumers.
Beef importers received their permits from the ministry on Feb. 22, two weeks before Ramadan, according to Indonesian Beef Importers Association (Aspidi) secretary-general Suhandri.
He said this year’s gap between the government-targeted supply and the actual supply was much larger than last year’s at this time.
“The gap is too large […]. It will be challenging to make up for it,” Suhandri told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. “If the government is unwilling to provide additional import quotas, the shortage will remain for a longer period, causing prices to remain high.”
He added that the national supply of beef was around 20,000 tonnes at the beginning of January and 7,000 tonnes at the beginning of March.
Meanwhile, he estimated that importers would need at least 50,000 tonnes of beef to fulfill the higher demand during Idul Fitri and keep prices in check.
