Agriculture Ministry Strengthens National Meat Supply, Urges Businesses to Accelerate Feeder Cattle Imports

The Ministry of Agriculture is continuing to strengthen the national beef supply through a combination of increased domestic production and measured supply management. This step is being taken to ensure public needs are met while supporting the realisation of national food security.

Director General of Livestock and Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, Agung Suganda, affirmed that the national beef supply is currently supported by three main sources: production from the slaughter of local cattle and buffalo, which remains the largest contributor; the import of live cattle and buffalo (feeder cattle) that are fattened and slaughtered domestically; and imports of beef and buffalo meat to supplement national requirements.

“The government’s priority remains increasing local cattle and buffalo production as the backbone of the national meat supply. However, to maintain supply balance and price stability, the government also manages the import of feeder cattle and meat imports in a measured manner according to need,” Agung said.

These efforts were discussed during a monitoring and evaluation meeting held by the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health with importer business actors online on Friday, 26 June.

Agung stated that business actors still have time until the end of September 2026 to optimise the realisation of feeder cattle imports according to established commitments. “We urge all importer business actors to accelerate the realisation of feeder cattle imports in line with the commitments that have been set. There is still time to increase realisation. Do not let import realisation be lower than the previous year, as this is crucial for maintaining the national beef supply and serves as an indicator for government evaluation,” he said.

According to Agung, accelerating feeder cattle imports is part of a short-term strategy to maintain supply continuity, while in the medium and long term, the government continues to strengthen programmes to increase the cattle and buffalo population through breeding, animal health, livestock investment, and empowering smallholder farmers as the foundation for food self-sufficiency.

Based on data from the National Commodity Balance System and confirmation from business actors up to 26 June 2026, the realisation of feeder cattle imports reached 180,371 head, or approximately 25.8 per cent of the national target of 700,000 head. This figure is expected to increase given that the realisation period runs until the end of 2026.

Director of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, Hendra Wibawa, said the ministry continues to monitor developments in the field while assisting business actors so that targets can be achieved on schedule. “There is still time in July, August, and September to accelerate realisation in the third quarter. We hope all business actors can demonstrate their best performance in fulfilling the established import commitments. Please continue to push your teams to increase realisation,” Hendra said.

He added that achievements up to September will serve as a basis for evaluating business actor performance as well as projecting import realisation capability for 2027. “We ask you to provide reasons if your achievements remain low. There is still time in July, August, and September to show your best performance. Do not let this year’s achievement percentage be lower than last year’s. Please also submit realisation commitments every three months so that progress can be monitored together,” he added.

Support for this measure was also conveyed by the Indonesian Beef Cattle Business Association (Gapuspindo). Chairman of the Gapuspindo Advisory Board, Didiek Purwanto, confirmed that its members are ready to accelerate realisation according to the established targets. “We will mobilise all Gapuspindo members to realise this commitment so that the set targets can be achieved,” Didiek said.

The Ministry of Agriculture emphasised that maintaining the national beef supply requires collaboration among all stakeholders. The government will continue to strengthen local cattle production through breeding, productivity improvements, investment, and empowering smallholder farmers, while ensuring that the management of feeder cattle imports and meat imports is carried out in a measured manner to maintain supply balance, price stability, and affordability for the public. This synergy is expected to become the foundation for an increasingly self-sufficient, competitive, and sustainable Indonesian livestock sector.