RI Procures Cows, Beef from Australia to Stabilize Price

Jakarta (Antara) - Indonesia is procuring cows and beef from Australia in an effort to stabilize meet price in the country that has been soaring recently due to increasing demand in the current fasting month of Ramadhan. A total of 1,478 cows were shipped from Darwin, Australia, on Friday and they are expected to arrive at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port next Tuesday. A consular official, Nazirwan Hafiz, said to Antara on Saturady that imports of cows and beef from Australia were needed to stabilize the meat price in the country. The Friday's shipment is part of a total of 12,500 cows to be imported from Australia. To accelerate distribution process pre-shipment inspection is done in Darwin and on board the ship, he said. So, the cows will be directly sent to slaughter houses upon arrival in Indonesia, he said. Health inspection is done before they are shipped and while on the way to Indonesia. Requirement is also not made with regard to weight of cows and therefore the cows need not be fattened at feedlots first and could be immediately slaughtered, he said. Shipments are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday, he said. (*)