Bulog to Supply 20 tons of Beff per Day

Jakarta (Antara) - The state logistics agency (Bulog) will soon supply 20 tons of beef to the market per day to curb the price of the commodity which has shown no sign of declining. "If the beef is imported by air, we will be able to supply 20 tons per day," Bulog President Director Sutarto Alimoeso said after a coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs here on Wednesday. He added however that the agency is waiting for a quarantine permit to import frozen beef through the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. "If the permit to import beef through the airport is issued soon, we will be able to speed up the import of the commodity to stabilize its price," he said. Bulog has received a beef import quota of 3,000 tons. To raise supplies quickly, part of the beef will be imported by air, while the rest will be imported by sea. "The quantity of beef imported by sea and air is expected to reach 1,000 tons seven days before the post-fasting month festivities," he said. The sea-borne import of frozen beef from Australia will be delivered on July 15 and will arrive in Indonesia on July 25, he said. Data from the Trade Ministry show beef is sold for Rp94,232 a kg as of July 10, bringing to Rp92.071 a kg the average price since early July. The government has allowed Bulog to import 3,000 tons of beef to stabilize its price ahead of the fasting month of Ramadhan. "The quota of beef import for Bulog has been agreed at 3,000 tons," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said following a meeting to stabilize the price of basic necessaries some time ago. The extra quota will apply to Jakarta and environs, he said. (*)