Meat sellers protest Bandung decree<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Three hundred meat traders, members of the Bandung, West Java,
\nAssociation of Beef Traders (Apdasi), took the streets on Monday
\nprotesting the imposition of a levy on local cattle and value
\nadded tax on imported cattle.<\/p>\n
The protesters staged a rally at the West Java provincial
\nlegislative council on Jl. Diponegoro, Bandung, before 20 of them
\nwere permitted to speak to Commission B for economic affairs.<\/p>\n
Yayat Sumirat, Apdasi secretary, complained to legislators
\nthat Municipal Bylaw No. 26\/2001 imposed a Rp 22,500 levy on
\nbeasts weighing less than 150 kilograms and a Rp 30,000 levy on
\nbeasts weighing more than 150 kilograms.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 10 percent value added tax was also imposed to
\nimported cattle, causing price of imported cattle to increase.<\/p>\n
The suppliers are responsible for paying the levies and the
\ntax according to the decree.<\/p>\n
\"The levies are imposed on suppliers, who later increase
\ncattle prices. Finally, the meat traders have no other option but
\nto increase the price of the meat they sell,\" Yayat said.<\/p>\n
\"This has caused an increase in beef prices in Bandung,\" he
\nsaid. He acknowledged that beef was usually more expensive ahead
\nof the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan. \"But this time the
\nincrease is unacceptable and has caused a 50 percent drop in the
\nnumber of buyers. Our profits have also dropped.\"<\/p>\n
Beef price have jumped from Rp 27,000 per kilogram to Rp
\n35,000 over the last two weeks.<\/p>\n
A meat trader, who participated in the meeting, said that he
\nwas earning only between Rp 40,000 and Rp 50,000 per day, or
\naround Rp 100,000 less than he earned previously.<\/p>\n
Yayat said that written complaints had been sent to the mayor
\nand the municipal legislative council. \"But we have received no
\nresponse.\"<\/p>\n
Suppliers are now demanding Rp 5.5 million for a cow weighing
\naround 200 kilograms, or Rp 3.3 million more than the previous
\nprice.<\/p>\n
The association also asked the West Java provincial
\nlegislature to help Bandung meat traders negotiate with the
\nsuppliers, who are mostly from Central and East Java.<\/p>\n
Bandung consumes some 250 cows a day, but only 10 percent of
\nthis figure is sourced from West Java suppliers.<\/p>\n
Before leaving the legislative assembly chamber, the meat
\ntraders threatened to withhold their meat from the market between
\nNov. 14 and Nov. 16, if the legislators failed to respond to
\ntheir demands.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/meat-sellers-protest-bandung-decree-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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