State Enterprises Deny Selling Meat Above Reference Price, Reject Traders' Protests

Jakarta — Several state-owned enterprises (SOEs) tasked with importing and selling beef and buffalo meat have reaffirmed that these commodities are still being sold below the Reference Purchase Price (HAP) at the consumer level as set by the government. Maryadi, President Director of PT Berdikari, stated in Jakarta on Saturday (14 March 2026) that as an SOE, the company cannot sell buffalo meat above the price established by the government.

“It is not true that we sell frozen buffalo meat above Rp80,000 per kilogramme (HAP). We are audited by the State Audit Board. Although there is no criminal penalty, if we sell above the price, we will certainly be asked to refund,” he said.

The statement responded to the Indonesian Butchers and Meat Traders Association (JAPPDI), which claimed the government applied unfair oversight of beef sales prices whilst allowing imported buffalo meat prices to remain far above the HAP. Maryadi denied claims that JAPPDI General Chair Asnawi purchased frozen buffalo meat from Berdikari for Rp90,000 per kilogramme.

A similar statement came from Ghimoyo, President Director of Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (ID Food). He stated that SOEs cannot possibly sell government-assigned meat above the reference price. However, he acknowledged that once goods are delivered to buyers, it becomes difficult to control prices at subsequent levels.

“We don’t know how many hands our delivered goods pass through. That is beyond our control,” he said.

Previously, JAPPDI General Chair Asnawi disclosed that he initially could not obtain buffalo meat from Berdikari due to stock depletion and was advised to purchase through existing distributors. However, he subsequently purchased eight tonnes of frozen Indian buffalo meat at Rp90,000 per kilogramme, totalling Rp720 million.

“This purchase price is clearly above the HAP at the consumer level. If buffalo meat prices at the distributor level alone are already far above the HAP benchmark, it is unsurprising that consumer prices are even higher,” he said.

Meanwhile, Agung Suganda, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health at the Agriculture Ministry, called on the public to report shops or traders selling above the HAP to the Task Force for Clean Sweep (Satgas Saber) for Price, Quality, and Food Safety Violations under the National Food Agency (Bapanas).

“If there is a shop selling frozen buffalo meat that does not comply with the HAP, report it to the Satgas Saber team. Let them be arrested,” he said.

On the same occasion, Agung also denied that buffalo meat prices are far above the consumer reference purchase price of Rp80,000 per kilogramme. According to him, buffalo meat at Rp80,000 per kilogramme is available at kiosks or shops with special signage indicating affordable buffalo meat sales.

“Frozen buffalo meat is usually sold at kiosks with signs or labels indicating affordable buffalo meat prices,” he said.