Agriculture Minister Suswono said here on Wednesday that the Australian government had notified his office that it would stop for six months only the exports of its slaughter cattle.
Australia will maintain its frozen meat and milch cow exports.
He said that Australia has decided to stop the export of slaughter cattle due to pressures from non-governmental organizations which found indications that cattle in Indonesian abattoirs were slaughtered not based on the animal welfare standards.
The minister said that the stoppage of the exports should have been utilized by local cow breeders to increase production and reduce dependence on imports.
The importation of livestock in Indonesia has caused the price in the local market to drop, where meat is only priced at Rp22,000 per kg.
In connection with the finding by the Australian side on the cruelty to the slaughter animal, the minister said his ministry would conduct investigation in the country`s abattoirs.
"I will announce the name of abattoirs which fulfill the required standards," the minister said.
Australia has threatened to stop its cow exports to Indonesia following reports that Indonesian abattoirs had tortured the animals before they are slaughtered.
It was reported early this week that Australia had threatened to stop shipping cows to abattoirs in Indonesia after a document revealed that abattoirs had committed cruelty against the animals sent there for slaughter.
The footage aired on ABC1`s Four Corners early this week showed the animals were kicked, thrashed and beaten, their throats were hacked at, eyes gouged and tails were broken.
Australia`s export agency LiveCorp has taken the decision to stop exporting cattle to Indonesia after it was given footage of animal cruelty by animal rights campaigners.
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
