Indonesia to achieve beef self-sufficiency in ten years, President assures

Bogor, InfoPublik - President Joko Widodo said Indonesia could achieve beef self-sufficiency in the next nine to ten years. Currently, the Agriculture Ministry; Research, Technology, and Higher Education Ministry; and the private sectors are developing beef cattle breeding.

He hoped that beef cattle breeding process could run smoothly and consistently. "It's a long process which will make us self-sufficient in beef. From the calculations, it will be met in nine to ten years," he said when visiting the cattle-breeding farm owned by PT Karya Anugerah Rumpin in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday (6/21).

Indonesia, he added, must first make the selection to get quality beef cattle semen for producing cattle seeds. Later, the seeds will be distributed to the cattle industry and farmers.

In one year, the country needs approximately 3 million of frozen semen. "If it continues for six years, self-sufficiency in upstream sector will be met," he said.

Then, he continued, it still needs three years to carry out down streaming or dispersion to various regions. This process really should be done consistently and is taking nine to ten years.

He added that the government would continue to develop cattle breeding farms. All cattle breeding farms that exist today are in various models. For example, PT KAR involves the private sectors, the Indonesian Science Institute (LIPI), and Research, Technology, and Higher Education Ministry. Then, there is a cattle-breeding farm which is fully managed by the Agriculture Ministry in West Sumatra.

Jokowi will also assign PT Berdikari to breed beef cattle. The company will cooperate with Spain or Brazil.

"Now while it is not yet sufficient, inevitably, some of the consumption must be fulfilled by imported beef," he concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)