Indonesia Still Needs to Import Beef Cows in 2014

Mataram, W Nusa Tengara (Antara) - Indonesia has not succeeded in carrying out its program for self sufficiency in beef supply in 2014, the Animal Husbandry and Health Director General Syukur Iwantoro said. The country still needs to import cows/buffaloes to meet domestic requirement, Syukur said in a symposium on animal husbandry here on Thursday. He said the country's beef requirement is estimated to reach 575,880 tons in 2014 as against domestic production of 462,000 tons. "Imports, therefore , are still needed to make up for the shortage," he added. Imports could be larger than the shortage depending on the infrastructure mainly transport infrastructure. Inadequate infrastructure would hamper distribution from the production centers such as Nusatenggara. Imports include live cows and frozen beef for hotels and restaurants. Indonesia imports cows from Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, Uruguay and Australia. (*)