Agriculture Ministry: Traders Selling Buffalo Meat Above Reference Price Will Face Action

The Indonesian government has denied claims that frozen buffalo meat prices in the market far exceed the consumer reference purchase price (HAP) of Rp80,000 per kilogramme. Agung Suganda, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasised that citizens can report traders selling buffalo meat above the HAP to the price monitoring task force.

“If there is a shop selling frozen buffalo meat that does not comply with the HAP, simply report it to the Saber Satgas team so action can be taken,” said Agung.

The statement responded to criticism from the Indonesian Network of Meat Processors and Traders (Jappdi), which argued that the government has been inconsistent in monitoring meat prices, particularly regarding imported buffalo meat prices.

Jappdi’s General Chairman Asnawi previously stated that imported buffalo meat prices in the market have exceeded the provisions set by the National Food Agency. Data from Bapanas’s price panel showed that on 12 March 2026, the average price of frozen buffalo meat reached approximately Rp114,385 per kilogramme, around 43 per cent higher than the HAP of Rp80,000 per kilogramme.

Fresh beef prices also increased during the same period, reaching Rp140,000-Rp150,000 per kilogramme, approaching or even exceeding the upper limit of the consumer reference price.

Agung explained that government programme buffalo meat at affordable prices is typically sold at specific kiosks marked with special price information signs. He cited the sale of government programme buffalo meat at around Rp79,900 per kilogramme at the Toko Daging Nusantara network.

However, monitoring at one outlet at Pasar Rebo in East Jakarta showed buffalo meat prices still above the HAP, at around Rp101,000 per kilogramme, whilst the cheapest product in the form of trimming meat was sold at around Rp96,000 per kilogramme.

Meanwhile, PT Berdikari’s Chief Executive Director Maryadi denied accusations that the company was selling buffalo meat above the reference price. According to Maryadi, as a state-owned enterprise with a government assignment, Berdikari is not permitted to sell buffalo meat exceeding the established price.

“We do not sell frozen buffalo meat above Rp80,000 per kilogramme,” he said.

Maryadi stressed that the company is under the oversight of the State Auditor, making it impossible to violate price regulations.

This statement was also reinforced by food holding company ID Food. ID Food’s Chief Executive Director Ghimoyo said state-owned enterprises would not sell meat that is a government assignment above the reference price. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that after goods are shipped to buyers or distributors, the company cannot fully control prices at subsequent levels of trade.

“We do not know how many hands the goods pass through after that,” he said.

Fresh beef prices at several traditional markets also continued to rise ahead of Lebaran. At Pasar Kramat Jati, traders sold beef at around Rp140,000 to Rp150,000 per kilogramme. A trader named Yendri estimated that beef prices could continue rising to approach Rp160,000 per kilogramme approaching Lebaran, as occurred in the previous year.

The government has set a beef price corridor at the consumer level in the range of Rp105,000 to Rp140,000 per kilogramme.