Jakarta (WNAM MONITORING): Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono announced that the Indonesian Government would import 200 thousand dairy cattle by the end of 2025 to support the fulfillment of milk in the free nutritious meal program (MBG) menu.
According to Sudaryono, the import regulation has been completed, allowing procurement from Australia and other countries.
“The regulation has just been completed. We can import from several other countries besides Australia. We hope that in 2025, some 200 thousand dairy cattle will be imported into Indonesia,” the deputy minister remarked at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday.
Furthermore, his side is expediting the provision of land for farmers to house these dairy cattle.
Sudaryono emphasized that this initiative represents a significant government investment aimed at establishing a fresh milk processing factory.
“This (initiative) is part of (our) investment strategy. We build the milk factory here with imported cows,” he elaborated.
He stated that 160 foreign and domestic companies have expressed their commitment to participating in this dairy cattle procurement initiative.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Directorate General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health stated that 50 pregnant Frisian Holstein dairy cattle from Australia have arrived in Indonesia.
The ministry’s Director General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Agung Suganda stated that these cows are expected to contribute to the MBG program, championed by President Prabowo Subianto, by providing milk as part of the offerings.
He noted that the cows’ arrival aligns with the ministry’s blueprint plan to boost investor engagement in increasing the dairy cow population in Indonesia.
He noted that the initiative is also consistent with the government’s target of adding one million dairy cattle over the next five years.
The introduction of these pregnant dairy cows demonstrates the private sector’s real commitment to accelerating investment in Indonesia.
The MBG program began its gradual rollout on January 6 across 26 provinces, aiming to reduce stunting rates, alleviate poverty, and drive the community economy as part of the broader goals of Golden Indonesia 2045.
