The Reason Behind the Exemption of Live Cattle Import Quota

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - No longer limiting the quota of live cattle imports, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono stated that this policy was implemented to ensure that the import quota is not only enjoyed by a handful of importers. "We don't want only a few people to benefit from it over and over again. We don't want that," said Sudaryono at the Ministry of Agriculture building, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

Sudaryono said that the policy was implemented as a form of fair and just democracy, but the import quota limit only applies to feeder cattle or food commodities intended for meat consumption.

The Gerindra Party politician stated that feeder cattle will be included in the trade balance so that the government can determine the annual meat needs, and the trade balance will then determine how much domestic production will be. "Then we will find a number that we need to import," he said.

Minister of Coordinating Human Development and Culture Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) previously guaranteed that there would no longer be a limitation on the quota of live cattle imports to ensure the availability of meat and milk supplies and strengthen national food security. Zulhas revealed that importers can import live cattle without limitations for various purposes, from fattening, slaughter, to milk production to support the livestock industry and the consumption needs of the community.

"Now we are opening it wide. Live cattle imports which are beneficial for slaughter, fattening, and for milk. Now it's free, we are liberating it," said Zulhas at the commemoration of National Milk Day 2025 in Jakarta, as quoted from Antara on June 15, 2025.

With the policy of unlimited quotas, Zulhas stated an increased opportunity for the national milk processing industry to enhance production volume and supply quality, while also strengthening the supply chain from upstream to downstream. "No more quotas, no more. So live cattle, whether for fattening, for milk. There are no more quotas, it's free, free," said Zulhas. However, Zulhas did not explain the technical details of the policy implementation and immediately left the location after answering questions from the media.

In January, Sudaryono revealed that there would be 200,000 dairy cattle imports by the end of 2025, aimed to support the provision of milk in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program and to establish investments in domestic milk factories. "In 2025, there will be 200,000 cattle. We need all of them, including the land and others," said Sudaryono at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Sudaryono mentioned that his party was also accelerating the provision of livestock land to accommodate dairy cattle at that time. "Clearly, this is not a country of import, but people are investing. It's fine to build a factory, in Indonesia we can build a milk factory with imported cattle," he said.

The Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health (PKH) of the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) Agung Suganda stated that 50 pregnant Frisian Holstein dairy cattle from Australia had arrived in Indonesia in January for the MBG program. In addition, Agung emphasized that the plan is in line with the government's target to add 1 million dairy cattle in the next five years and is a concrete commitment from the private sector to accelerate investment in Indonesia.

Head of the Presidential Communications Office Hasan Nasbi regarding the provision of cow's milk in the MBG program at that time stated that it was not mandatory every day due to uneven milk supply in each region. "At least once a week, it's not mandatory, it's not a mandatory menu, because the milk supply is uneven in each region," said Hasan as quoted from Antara on Monday, January 6, 2025.

Ni Kadek Trisna Cintya Dewi and Alfitria Nefi P contributed to this article.

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