INDONESIA has broadened its live cattle supply options to include Brazil and New Zealand, a senior Indonesian Government figure has announced.

Bos Indicus cattle in Brazil.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono told the Indonesian media late last week that live cattle from Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil can now be imported into Indonesia.

Australia has long been the sole supplier of live cattle to Indonesia but the Indonesian Government has made no secret of its desire to diversify its import options, particularly ever since the high-impact temporary suspension by Australia of live cattle exports to the country in 2011.

“We allow live cattle investment to enter Indonesia. The country of origin depends, as long as the country is approved. For example, Australia, New Zealand, or Brazil,” he said.

His statement came after Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan announced that the live cattle import quota for 2025 would be increased by 184,000 head to 534,000 head.

In announcing the new supply arrangements Deputy Minister Sudaryono said the Indonesian Government has invited local entrepreneurs, cooperatives, individuals, and foreign companies to bring breeding cattle to Indonesia.

He said the move was aimed at meeting the increased need for protein consumption in Indonesia, especially with the Free Nutritious Meals program launched by President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

The President has directed billions of dollars of Government funding into the initiative since January. Despite the substantial budget, the size of the task to distribute millions of free meals daily has limited the free meals provided so far to a budget of IDR 10,000 per meal, with servings including a portion of chicken meat, an egg, rice and vegetables, with no milk or red meat included.

Permits have not yet been formally allocated for the import of cattle from sources other than Australia, Beef Central understands.

While technically possible it is considered unlikely to be economically or commercially viable at scale for Indonesia to import live cattle from Brazil, particularly given the vastly longer transport time involved, with a sea voyage of three to four weeks required  compared to 4-5 day journey from Australia.

New Zealand banned the live export of cattle by sea in April 2023. The incumbent Luxon NZ National Party Government  has pledged to reinstate live exports by sea under stringent animal welfare standards and using purpose built vessels, but to date the ban on exports by sea remains in place.

The declaration by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) that Brazil is now recognised as free of foot and mouth disease (FMD) without vaccination will be used as a  “strategic asset” in negotiations to open markets, Brazil’s beef lobby group, Abiec, told media.

It added that Indonesia and the Philippines have expressed interest in importing beef offal from Brazil based on health status.

2024 was a huge year for Australian offal exports to Indonesia, which took 42,000 tonnes, accounting 23 percent of Australia’s total offal trade.

See today’s connected story on Brazil gaining FMD freedom, without vaccination.