Based on data from the Ministry of Agriculture, the population of cattle in 2017 is estimated to have reached 16.6 million heads, a 3.72% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, the buffalo population amounted to 1.4 million heads, a 2.95% increase from the previous year.
This number of cattle, however, has been insufficient to meet domestic meat demand, resulting in beef prices remaining above Rp 100,000/kg. The increasing domestic demand for beef necessitates annual government imports of beef and breeding cattle from abroad.
Based on the prognosis, domestic beef production in 2017 reached 354,770 tons, while domestic demand amounted to 604,968 tons. This means that only 58% of beef demand could be supplied from domestic production, with the remainder needing to be imported. During Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holidays, beef demand typically increases, leading to a tendency for prices to rise.