Indonesia's Ambitious Plan to Quadruple Dairy Output with Australian Cows

Indonesia has taken a significant step in its ambitious plan to enhance national dairy production by importing 1,383 Holstein-Friesian cows from Australia. This effort is part of a larger $3 billion strategy to encourage small farmers to participate in increasing the country's dairy output fourfold. The plan, which is a key component of a free meals program aimed at 83 million children and expectant mothers, seeks to increase the current population of dairy cows from 220,000 to over a million within five years.

Import Details and Quarantine

The latest shipment of dairy cows arrived in Cilacap, Central Java, and will undergo a 14-day quarantine to ensure they are disease-free. Hendra Wibawa, an animal health official, stated that the cows would be tested for diseases such as lumpy skin disease and foot-and-mouth disease before being integrated into local dairy production systems.

Private Sector Involvement

The initiative relies heavily on private companies to finance the importation of dairy cows, a strategy deemed unusual by some in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Lunar Chemplast and Mazaraat Lokanatura Indonesia are among the companies involved, with the former importing 1,094 of the animals.

Long-term Goals and Progress

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture reported that in 2025, the country imported a total of 33,955 cows, with 13,544 being dairy animals. The collaboration between cooperatives and smallholder farmers is intended to ensure a reliable milk supply for the processing industry, thereby stabilizing domestic dairy production.