As Indonesia prepares for the start of the month-long Ramadan festival this Friday, unrest is emerging over beef import arrangements and the adequacy of existing stocks.

File picture of frozen Buffalo beef in a supermarket in Jakarta. Picture: Dr Ross Ainsworth.

In January the Indonesian Government announced that beef import permits totalling 188,000 would be allocated for 2025.

However it has since announced that 100,000 tonnes of the beef import quota will be redirected to Government-owned enterprises, leaving private importers with much less quota than they had anticipated.

The government also has allocated an additional 100,000-tonne buffalo meat quota in a deal that also reportedly excludes private importers.

In a further twist, Reuters reported that Indonesia will import 100,000 metric tons of water buffalo meat from Pakistan.

The chief of the National Food Agency was quoted by local media outlet Kontan as saying the decision to buy from Pakistan was due to lower prices compared to India.

The quota announcements leave private importers with less than 90,000 tonnes to share between them.

In 2024, according to the Jakarta Post, 86 importers shared in the import of 160,000 tonnes of beef.

The decision to reallocate 100,000 tonnes to Government-owned enterprises PT Berdikari and PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia will means many importers are facing empty storage facilities and potential layoffs, the Jakarta Post reported.

Indonesian Beef Processing Industry Association has warned that granting Government enterprises the bulk of import rights could lead to higher prices due to additional layers in the supply chain.

They also say it could disrupt beef supplies ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, stating that only 18,000 tonnes of beef are currently in stock, far below the 120,000 tonnes they are say are needed to stabilise prices during peak consumption periods, including Idul Fitri.

In the meantime exports of Australia cattle to Indonesia totalled 16,726 head in January, as Indonesian feedlots imported heavier-weight cattle to shore up supplies for the key Ramadan period.