The government of Indonesia through its Ministry of Agriculture has recently passed down a permit to import young wagyu beef (of wagyu cow) from Japan to be bred in Indonesia, with the first batch expected to be sourced in December 2020. The Indonesian government felt the need to produce Wagyu beef nationally, as apparent demand for premium quality beef in the national market has recorded a 20% increase since 2017. The government is now seeing a need to reduce the price of this imported commodity currently sold at a staggering IDR 650.000/Kg.
Such efforts are also aligned with the government's long-term plan to accommodate Wagyu beef demand from Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand by the end of 2024. This is seen to be a good business opportunity for Indonesia as the shipping cost would be much lower, considering the close proximity to these countries.