Indonesia Targets Import of 150,000 Dairy Cows to Curb Milk Dependency

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono aims to secure investment to bring in between 100,000 and 150,000 dairy cows to the country this year. The initiative is intended to lessen the country’s reliance on imported milk and boost food self-sufficiency.

"If people invest in building factories, we are building the factory for live cows. So, they will be brought to Indonesia, nurtured, and partnered with farmers," Sudaryono said to reporters at the Ministry of Agriculture office on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

Sudaryono noted that while Indonesia has an abundant supply of artificial insemination semen, the country lacks sufficient female cows for breeding. "We have a large stock of artificial insemination semen, but we do not have enough female cows in Indonesia."

He added that the arrival of these dairy cows is expected to help reduce the nation’s dependency on milk imports over time. "Now, without milk in the School Meal Program (SMP), 80 percent of our milk needs to be imported."

Sudaryono clarified that the goal is not to eliminate imports entirely but to gradually scale them down. "Imports are still allowed, but if you bring cows to Indonesia, so the value of the imports from year to year will decrease," he said.

To date, Indonesia has received about 20,000 dairy cows. One of the contributors is Dutch dairy company FrieslandCampina, although Sudaryono said he was unsure how many more cows the company plans to supply.

The Netherlands has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia to support live cow investment.

"Many investors have committed to bringing live cows to increase the live cow population in Indonesia," said Sudaryono.

While the investment value was not disclosed, Sudaryono expressed hope that the Netherlands would play a major role. "Certainly, we hope that the Netherlands is willing to invest as much as possible," he said.

Editor's Choice: OJK: Public Losses Due to Illegal Investments Reach Rp142 Trillion

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Prabowo, Cabinet Ministers Gather for Eid al-Adha Prayer at Istiqlal Mosque

11 hari lalu

Ambassador Reveals 3 Factors Causing Japan's Rice Crisis

11 hari lalu

Ministry of Agriculture: 360,000 Tons of Rice Aid Set for Distribution Over Two Months

13 hari lalu

Prabowo Buys 1.6-Ton Cow for Eid al-Adha at Rp90 Million from Local Farmer

19 hari lalu

Suspicion Over Onion Import Approval: No Record of Official Mandate

20 hari lalu

Indonesian Govt Discloses Uncertified Chinese Goods Circulating on TikTok

26 hari lalu

Prabowo Highlights Annual US$40bn Oil and Gas Import Bill, Calls for Energy Self-Sufficiency

26 hari lalu

Why is Indonesia Last Out of 122 Countries in Trade Barriers?

32 hari lalu

Indonesian Customs Sees 9.6% Revenue Growth

32 hari lalu

Analysts: U.S. Trade Pressure Likely Behind Indonesia's Plan to Slash Singapore Fuel Imports

34 hari lalu