TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Mega dairy farm for milk self-sufficiency too optimistic: Farmers

Experts have called for caution over the government's ambitious plan to import dairy cattle in its push to achieve milk self-sufficiency as part of efforts to support Prabowo's flagship free meal program, pointing to existing challenges including livestock and disease management as well as smallholder well-being.

Ruth Dea Juwita (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Jakarta
Tue, September 17, 2024

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Mega dairy farm for milk self-sufficiency too optimistic: Farmers A worker tends to cattle on June 22 at a livestock farm in Sidodadi village, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra. (Antara/Yudi)

T

he government plans to build a mega dairy farm with an aim to achieve milk self-sufficiency by 2029 to support the free nutritious meal program of incoming president Prabowo Subianto, but farmers and experts have called the plan overly optimistic, pointing to cattle population woes and supply chain challenges.

The plan involves kick-starting the mega farm by importing 1.5 million dairy cows, nearly five times the country’s current population of dairy cattle.

ID Food estimated it would take two to three years for the farm to become operational, Sis Apik Wijayanto, CEO of the state-owned agribusiness holding company, told lawmakers at a meeting on Sept. 11.

The Agriculture Ministry would provide support to investors in acquiring land for pastureland, as well as facilitating licenses and related regulations, he said.

But industry experts have expressed doubt over the ambitious plan, warning that the free meal program could lead to much higher milk imports if the government does not make concurrent efforts to increase domestic supply.

“I’m not so confident in this [self-sufficiency target]. Even before the free milk program, we are seeing 80 percent of our milk demand being met through imports,” Nanang Purus, chairman of the Indonesian Cattle and Buffalo Breeders Association (PPSKI), told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Prospects

Every Monday

With exclusive interviews and in-depth coverage of the region's most pressing business issues, "Prospects" is the go-to source for staying ahead of the curve in Indonesia's rapidly evolving business landscape.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

In 2022, domestic dairy companies produced 900,000 liters of milk, far less than the national demand of 4.4 million liters, according to dat from the Agriculture Ministry.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Mega dairy farm for milk self-sufficiency too optimistic: Farmers

Rp 29,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 29,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.