Demand for meat set to soar

JAKARTA (JP): How many cattle will be consumed by 8.6 million Jakartans during the Ramadhan fasting month which began on Monday?

Some 19,500, officials said.

Head of the City Livestock Agency's slaughtering section Hery Indyanto said on Monday that most of the cattle were being imported from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United States.

"We need a total of 19,500 cows to meet the market demand during the fasting month until Idul Fitri. For each 20 days we will distribute some 2437.5 tons of beef in the five mayoralties of the capital," Hery, who is also a veterinarian, said.

He admitted that the price of meat is expected to increase slightly in the markets in anticipation of the holiday period.

For imported meat the price will be around Rp 27,000 (US$2.9) to Rp 30,000 per kilogram. The current market price is about Rp 26,000 per kilogram.

For local meat the price will be around Rp 32,000 to Rp 35,000 per kilogram. Local meat is currently selling in the markets for around Rp 27,000.

Local meat is more expensive due to the limited supply. About 70 percent of the meat supply is imported.

Hery further said that the capital was expected to consume some 425 tons of chicken during the month, most of which will be imported from the United States.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said that Governor Sutiyoso had ordered the direct supply of basic needs in all central markets in the capital to push prices down. (dja)