Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Trade Ministry has issued permits to import 19,321.75 tons of beef to meet the need in the fourth quarter of this year.

"The quantity of beef to be imported in the fourth quarter is 19,321.75 tons," Import Director of the Trade Ministry, Nusa Ika, said here on Tuesday.

The permits were issued at the end of September 2015 to import beef in the form of prime cut meat, fancy meat and industrial meat, he said.

Beef is currently sold for Rp107,576.47 per kilogram in the domestic market, up slightly from Rp107,521.57 per kilogram recorded on October 13.

Earlier, the Trade Ministry also issued permits to import 200,000 heads of feeder cattle in the fourth quarter. The figure rose significantly, compared with 50,000 heads in the third quarter.

In addition, the ministry also issued a permit to the state logistics agency (Bulog) to import 50,000 heads of feeder cattle in the third quarter.

The ministry issued permits to import 100,000 heads of feeder cattle in the first quarter and 250,000 heads of feeder cattle in the second quarter.

Cumulatively, the import of feeder cattle is expected to reach 650,000 heads this year, down slightly from 700,000 heads in 2014.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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