South Africa has offered frozen beef to Indonesia at prices that are roughly half of the current retail prices, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has said.
The minister said his ministry would, in assessing the offer, refer to regulations set in the 2014 Animal Health and Husbandry Law, hygiene standards set by the Agriculture Ministry and halal standards set by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).
“South Africa has seriously asked us for a chance to export its beef. So far, most of our beef imports come from Australia. We have also imported meat from India, Mexico and Chili,” he told reporters on Monday.
“We don’t mind getting the beef from South Africa as long as it meets the country’s standards.”
The minister and delegates visited South Africa and Nigeria on a trade mission from July 20 to 26.
He further said the frozen beef from South Africa was equal to Rp 40,000 (US$3) per kilogram to Rp 45,000 per kg at the retail level, lower than today’s government price ceiling of Rp 80,000 per kg.
The Animal Health and Husbandry Law stipulates that beef can be imported from foot and mouth disease (FMD) free zones across the world. South Africa is listed as an FMD-free zone, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). (bbn)
