He said the government reduced beef imports every year to protect local cow raisers who complained about low beef prices in the domestic market.
The government lowered beef imports to 90 thousand tons in 2011 from 120 thousand tons in 2010, he said.
In addition, he said the government also reduced cattle imports to 400 thousand heads in 2011 from 600 thousand heads a year earlier.
The minister dismissed an allegation that domestic cow raisers had frequently complained about the low price of local beef because the government allowed the import of beef in large quantities.
"We deny that the low price was caused by beef imports. It is the middlemen who set cow prices in the market," he said.
The minister called on regional governments to protect cow raisers against the impact of wrong market information.
"By doing so, the local cow raisers will not be influenced to sell their livestocks to middlemen at low prices," he said.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
