Indonesia not suspended Indian buffalo meat imports, confirms Indian Embassy in Jakarta

Indonesia has not suspended import of frozen boneless frozen buffalo meat from India, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta stated on Friday.

“Some competition have been spreading all kinds of rumours on the suspension of frozen buffalo meat by Indonesia with the ulterior motive of defaming safe, chance-free of charge Indian buffalo meat with an purpose to effect its exports to other nations.

“In look at of the simple fact that there is no these suspension of imports of frozen boneless buffalo meat from India, this is phony propaganda of some of India’s competition as they are threatened by the ever expanding accomplishment of the Indian buffalo meat,” the embassy stated in a push launch.

ABC report

Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) stated in a report on Wednesday, quoting Reuters, that the Indonesia logistics company Bulog Chief Govt Budi Waseso experienced advised his Parliament that buffalo meat exports from India experienced been suspended thanks to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company quoted Waseso as reportedly stating: “due to the lockdown … in addition the improvement of the COVID-19 virus in India … we temporarily stopped the (buffalo meat) import plan.”

ABC even more reported that the trade experienced come to a whole halt. Nevertheless, it quoted Indonesian livestock marketing consultant Robu Agustiar as stating that Indonesia experienced not made the decision to ban Indian buffalo meat imports but could postpone shipments.

Agustiar also reportedly stated the suspension of buffalo meat imports from India could last for 3 months.

“There is no suspension of our buffalo meat imports,” stated Tarun Bajaj, Director of Agricultural and Processed Foods Products and solutions Exports Growth Authority (APEDA), which supervises and promotes agricultural exports.

“There is no concern with Indonesia (on buffalo meat exports). It is our competition who are spreading rumours,” he stated.

“On the opposite, Indonesia is in the procedure of buying even more buffalo meat imports from India,” stated Bajaj, who is in cost of exports of processed food items and animal solutions.

ABC reported that Indonesia experienced supplied authorization to import eighty,000 tonnes of buffalo meat from India and so considerably, thirteen,000 tonnes experienced reached the Much-East state. But Fauzan Alvi, a person of India’s biggest meat exporters and spokesperson for All Indi Meat and Livestock Exporters Assoication stated Indonesia has already sourced 25,700 tonnes of buffalo meat from India considering the fact that February this yr and there were certainly no problems in provides.

“Indonesia experienced fully commited to increase the quota to two lakh tonnes, but it is but to employ it,” he stated.

“Bulog, which procures meat from India, has just placed an enquiry for supply of fifty three,000 tonnes of meat to be shipped in phases up to December. Orders based on the enquiry should really be finalised by Indian exporters in two weeks.There is no suspension of Indian exports to Indonesia and these are just baseless rumours,” stated Alavi.

Headway in Indonesian industry

Trade resources stated that Indian competition, significantly in the Asia-Pacific region, were apprehensive that Indian buffalo meat enjoys a thirty for each cent industry share in Indonesia presently.

In accordance to beef2live.com Web page, India ranked fifth in phrases of beef exports, all buffalo meat only, shipping and delivery one.28 million tonnes and having fun with a 12 for each cent share in the world wide industry.

APEDA facts displays that India’s buffalo meat exports recorded a significant of one.47 million tonnes for the duration of 2014-fifteen just before dropping to one.fifteen million tonnes for the duration of 2019-twenty. Provisional figures for 2020-21 fiscal peg buffalo meat exports at one.08 million tonnes, nevertheless the value was larger at ₹23,460 crore as opposed with prior fiscal’s ₹22,661 crore.

Exports rebound

As regards buffalo meat exports to Indonesia, shipments right up until 2015-16 were beneath 900 tonnes just before gathering momentum and peaking at ninety four,500 tonnes for the duration of 2018-19. Even though the shipments dropped to 73,136 tonnes in 2019-twenty, they experienced rebounded last yr. During April-February last fiscal, India experienced exported eighty two,347 tonnes.

India has develop into a supply of a less costly substitute to pricey beef from competition these as Brazil and Australia. It is also observed as a less costly supply of protein in the Much-East country.

Trade resources stated that even though Indian buffalo meat was accessible at a lot less than $3,500 ( ₹25,500) a tonne, beef from origins these as Australia ruled at previously mentioned $4,500 (₹32,850).

India’s exports of buffalo meat to Indonesia in 2019-twenty were well worth $230 million with exports valued all-around the very same amount last fiscal. “We can effortlessly treble exports. We have all the assets,” stated Alavi.

“We have not reduce into anyone’s industry share in Indonesia. We only established an more industry with our buffalo meat,” stated a trade supply without having wishing to be determined.