Govt Urged to Give Priority to Cattle Smallholder Breeders

Jakarta (Antara) - The Indonesian Cow and Buffalo Breeders Association (PPSKI) has called on the government to prioritize local breeders in its incentive facility program, so that they could increase the population of cattle at home. PPSKI chairman Teguh Boediyana reported here on Monday that providing incentives for smallholder breeders is more realistic than the government's plan to import female cows for breeding. "How many heads of female cattle is the government importing? In fact, thousands of female and productive cows are being slaughtered at home," Teguh noted. He explained that the next government will face heavy tasks and should learn a lesson from the failure of the present government in meeting the need for beef at home. The number of cows based on national census in 2013 stood at 12,500 million, which should serve as a basic asset for the new government to arrange its programs. One of the issues the next government has to prioritize is incentives for local breeders. He said the central government and the Ministry of Home Affairs should prevent slaughtering of productive female cows because the number of cows based on national census 2013 at 12,500 million is a national asset. The PPSKI called on the government to take appropriate steps regarding cattle import. If imports are reduced drastically, it will reduce the population of cows at home, particularly productive female cows as it has had happened over the last several years. "However, if the government allows import of cows without control measure, it will put pressure on local breeders because prices will reduce," he pointed out.