Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-owned food holding company ID FOOD stated that 2,350 live cattle imported from Australia will arrive in March to secure beef stocks during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2024.

ID FOOD President Director Frans Marganda Tambunan stated that his company has been tasked with importing 20 thousand cattle in 2024. However, 2,350 cattle will arrive in the fourth week of March 2024.

"What has been cleared in terms of the administration and what we can do is live cattle. Thus, there will be the arrival of 2,350 cattle," he noted in a press conference held at the office of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) here on Wednesday.

According to Tambunan, around 162 thousand tons of beef will be produced from 2,350 live cattle.

ID FOOD has requested discretion from the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct slaughter to meet the demand during the Eid al-Fitr period.

He remarked that the Ministry of Agriculture already has in place provisions regarding the slaughter of cattle, including that they must first be fattened for three months.

"We have asked for discretion, so that half (of the cattle) can be slaughtered, and the Ministry of Agriculture has given approval for cattle with weight of above 500 kilograms to be slaughtered to support fresh beef availability," he remarked.

Furthermore, he revealed that imported frozen beef from Brazil will arrive in Indonesia during the April-May 2024 period or after Eid al-Fitr.

This is because ID FOOD awaits a recommendation letter from the Ministry of Agriculture and an import approval from the Ministry of Trade.

Moreover, the arrival delay is attributed to other factors, including the length of time for the delivery of goods from Brazil, which can take up to two months.

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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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