Indonesia to Ease Dairy Cow Imports for School Meal Program
Source: DairyNews.today
Indonesia is set to simplify the import process for dairy cows as part of efforts to support President Prabowo Subianto’s free school meal initiative, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced on Thursday. The government is working to ensure a steady supply of high-quality milk for the nationwide program, which aims to distribute nutritious meals to school-age children starting in January 2025.
“We will not impose difficulties for dairy farmers looking to import cows. The goal is to enhance the quality of locally produced milk,” Amran said during a business visit in Pasuruan, East Java. The ministry is exploring financing options for dairy cow imports in collaboration with regional banks and cooperatives, he added.
Amran’s comments followed the government’s recent disclosure of plans to import up to 1 million dairy cows between 2025 and 2029. The cows will be sourced from key dairy-producing countries, including Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, the United States, and Mexico.
Indonesia’s milk demand is expected to reach 8.5 million tons by 2029, with 4.9 million tons needed for general consumption and 3.6 million tons designated for Prabowo’s free meal program. The initiative aims to address national malnutrition, particularly stunting, and will provide schoolchildren with meals that include rice, chicken, vegetables, fruit, and milk.
In line with these goals, the government has conducted pilot runs of the meal program in select schools, which have been well-received.
Amran’s comments followed the government’s recent disclosure of plans to import up to 1 million dairy cows between 2025 and 2029. The cows will be sourced from key dairy-producing countries, including Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, the United States, and Mexico.
Indonesia’s milk demand is expected to reach 8.5 million tons by 2029, with 4.9 million tons needed for general consumption and 3.6 million tons designated for Prabowo’s free meal program. The initiative aims to address national malnutrition, particularly stunting, and will provide schoolchildren with meals that include rice, chicken, vegetables, fruit, and milk.
In line with these goals, the government has conducted pilot runs of the meal program in select schools, which have been well-received.
