Indonesia Targets Beef And Dairy Self-sufficiency

MALANG (Indonesia), Aug 6 (Bernama-ANTARA) -- The Ministry of Agriculture has opted to prioritise increasing the breeder cow population as a strategic step towards achieving beef self-sufficiency and ultimately transforming Indonesia into the world's food barn by 2045, reported ANTARA.

Agriculture Deputy Minister Sudaryono announced on Monday that Indonesia requires 600,000 breeder dairy cows and an equal number of breeder beef cattle.

"We need a total of 1.2 million breeder cows to realise this goal," he emphasised.

He assured that boosting the breeder cow population would not hinder the government's ongoing efforts to gradually reduce Indonesia's cow imports.

Sudaryono highlighted the importance of comprehensive preparations to accommodate the targeted number of breeder cows, including necessary infrastructure such as land, roads, and ports.

He noted Indonesia's successful cow artificial insemination programmes in Malang, East Java, and West Bandung, West Java.

"We have mastered the technology to produce both male and female calves," he stated. "This capability will significantly increase our breeder cow population."

Regarding the upcoming government's free lunch programme, Sudaryono expressed optimism about its potential to accelerate dairy self-sufficiency.

The programme's pilot phase, which provided schoolchildren with milk as part of their meals in several regions, demonstrated its positive impact.

Sudaryono stressed the need for early and thorough planning to ensure the successful implementation of both the breeder cow initiative and the free lunch programme, ultimately paving the way for Indonesia's food self-sufficiency goals.

-- BERNAMA-ANTARA