Indonesian Beef Price Rises
Added by Nigel Shelbourne on June 15, 2011
The ban on cattle exports to Indonesia will hit the Indonesian hip pocket and highlights the insecure state of Indonesia’s beef industry. Almost all of the beef Indonesia imports comes from Australia.
The export ban will hasten Indonesia’s desire to obtain self-sufficiency, to such an extent that when the ban is lifted there may no longer be much of an export market left for Australia. The situation also offers Northern Australian cattle station owners a unique opportunity to leverage the state and territory governments for more rights to diversify income sources on their land.
Indonesia currently supplies an estimated 70 per cent of its cattle from domestic sources, while a further 550,000 head of cattle comes from elsewhere, predominately from Australia. How prepared the Indonesian industry is for making up the shortfall in supply is unclear.
The Indonesian Government has stated that the domestic industry will be able to continue the supply, while conversely saying that it would look elsewhere to bridge the supply-demand gap. Fear of insufficient supply already appears to be affecting beef prices.
The Jakarta Post reported last week that the price of beef in Indonesian cities is already around 25,000 rupiah ($2.75) per kilogram, up from 22,000 rupiah ($2.45) prior to the ban. Likewise, the cost of cattle has risen by between 300,000 ($33) and 750,000 rupiah ($83), to around 8.5 million Rupiah ($941).
If prices do start affecting demand, it may also have an impact on demand for lamb, although early indications are that this is not yet occurring.
If there is a lesson in this for Indonesia, it is that it needs to have more than one supply country for cattle. It also confirms the wisdom behind Indonesia’s desire to be self-sufficient.
Despite all the gloomy headlines in Australia, there is an opportunity here for Northern Australian farmers.
source: http://www.futuredirections.org.au
