"It has been processed. The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has imported 100 thousand tons (of buffalo meat), but not yet arrived. It has submitted import approval so that it will arrive in Indonesia in 2–3 weeks," NFA’s Deputy of Food Availability and Stability I Gusti Ketut Astawa said here on Thursday.
He informed that the import of buffalo meat is aimed at mitigating an increase in the demand for the commodity during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, and the import was approved by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during a limited meeting.
At the meeting, Bulog was tasked with importing 100 thousand tons of buffalo meat, while state-owned food holding company ID FOOD was tasked with importing 100 thousand tons of frozen beef.
According to Astawa, the 100 thousand tons of imported buffalo meat will not arrive at once but in batches. However, the NFA could not yet confirm when the import will finish. In the second half of 2023, the NFA will conduct an evaluation regarding importing additional meat, if needed.
He further explained that there is a tendency for the prices of several basic commodities to increase ahead of and during Ramadan due to high demand. Nevertheless, he assured that the stocks of those commodities are sufficient and safe.
He informed that his agency has continued to coordinate with the relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to ensure the stocks and prices of basic commodities.
"Last Monday, we were invited by the Home Affairs Minister (to a meeting) for coordination with regional governments, and all governors, mayors, and district heads were present. We have mitigated which ones (commodities) are expensive and which are cheap," he said.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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