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Trade minister clarifies cattle import policy for Oz council
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Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council chairman Simon Crean listens to a journalist's question after a meeting with Indonesian Trade Ministry officials in Jakarta on Monday. (JP/Anton Hermansyah)
T
he government met with a delegation from the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council on Monday to clarify its new “5 plus 1” cattle import policy, for which South American countries are among the suppliers.
Under the new import policy, the government obliges importers to bring in one female cow for breeding purposes for every five calves imported for fattening up.
“They said that they will support our 5 plus 1 policy, by developing our local breeders,” Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said after the first round of discussions at his office in Jakarta.
The government, he added, also explained its recent decision to start livestock imports from alternative countries, such as Mexico and Brazil, to which the Australian council responded with a commitment to compete with the South American countries by offering better prices.
The Australian delegation’s leader Simon Crean said he had been aware about Indonesia’s plan to diversify livestock suppliers since 2011. On the high price of Australian beef, he cited the sudden issuance of export permits as the main cause.
“The beef price is not always about the price of the cow, but also the shipping cost. It’s higher because the vessels have to be hired at the last minute,” he said, adding that the council hoped to reach a solution during President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s visit to Australia next month. (ags)
