The Jakarta Globe, December 03, 2012
Jakarta is expected to face a beef crisis over the Christmas holiday as a new government policy limiting beef imports has reduced stocks in the capital.
Beef consumption in December is predicted to exceed 120 tons, the figure recorded in November, but so far Jakarta has only managed to secure 60 tons for the rest of the year, provincially owned abattoir firm Dharma Jaya said on Monday.
Consumption in the capital has continued to rise, even as the central government slashed 2012 cattle and beef import quotas by as much as 62 percent to stimulate domestic beef production and help reach an ambitious 2014 self-sufficiency target.
Dharma Jaya president director Andika Kusuma said the situation was exacerbated by suppliers from East Java and West Nusa Tenggara who preferred to send beef and cattle to Kalimantan and Bali, citing lower delivery costs.
“I wouldn’t dare say we have a critical beef stock, but, well, that’s the situation,” Andika said, according to Indonesian news portal kompas.com.
Beef prices currently stand at almost Rp 100,000 ($10.40) per kilogram, from between Rp 70,000 and Rp 80,000 about a month ago.
Beef vendors across Jakarta joined a strike on Nov. 17 in protest over the soaring prices, saying they suffered up to Rp 500,000 in losses per day due to price hikes.
Beef shortages have also been reported in other regions across the country.
BeritaSatu & JG
ma 3 dec 2012 - 18:35