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Government to flood market with frozen buffalo meat
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Ladies shop for meat at Senen traditional market in Central Jakarta. (Antara Photo/Wahyu Putro A)
T
he government plans to supply markets with more frozen buffalo meat in an effort to push prices down, even though it is less popular than fresh beef meat.
Apart from supplying markets with frozen meat, Trade Minister Enggartiasto “Eanggar” Lukita said the government would also examine meat distribution, from slaughter houses to markets, to better understand the causes of the persistent high price of meat.
“In the past, the price was at about Rp 80,000 (US$6), but now the prices are at between Rp 100,000 to Rp 105,000. We want to understand the problem, beginning from the slaughter houses,” said Eanggar as reported by tempo.co on Wednesday.
He said certain markets had rejected the idea of selling frozen meat, but that the government would insist on supplying the markets with frozen meat to know whether people would really refuse to buy it.
“There has been a rejection [to the frozen meat] at certain markets. But we will still supply them with the frozen meat. Let the market decide,” said Enggar, adding that more frozen meat would be imported by the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) if it was necessary.
He said his ministry would cooperate with local governments, particularly local market operators (PD Pasar) to help the frozen beef enter the market.
Enggar added that currently the stock of frozen buffalo meat reached 45,000 tons.
Enggar said he would discuss the meat imports with Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman to ensure the imports would not negatively effect efforts to increase the cow population. (bbn)
