Illegal meat to be legalized

JAKARTA: Several meat importers are predicted to violate meat import regulation after 62 containers full of illegal meat imports are found to not have legal papers. Carantine Body will release the required papers.In addition, there is a ship of 44 containers full of meat imports that do not have import documents, heading to Indonesia. According to Bisnis' field observation, all containers are put in terminal or container storage in Tanjung Priok. Tens of containers full of illegal meat have been held there since Friday last week and according to Carantine Body of Tanjung Priok there are 62 containers not yet processed as they are noted to be overquota. The meat was originated from Australia, US, and New Zealand.The containers are of 40-feet, hi-cube steel dry cargo with 12.19-m exterior and 12.03-m interior and 1,820 pound in weight or equal to 3,960 kg so that in all, the meat cargo is 246,078 kg or 246.07 ton in weight. Until yesterday, the owners of the overquota containers are still unknown, including the exact weight. They are still waiting for the valuation results of Carantine Body of Ministry of Agriculture.The illegal meat imports violate the Decree of Minister of Agriculture No. 07/OT.140/2008 on Import Requirements and Procedures for Seeds, Cattle Embryos, and Cut Livestocks.The documents of the imported meat are being processed in Jakarta. In fact, Article 12 of the regulation on import procedures states that importing parties shall propose in written to Minister of Agriculture befoire importing it and the letter shall be proceessed by head of Licensing and Investment after receiving the proposal letter within three working days.Besides, according to the Decree of Minister of Agriculture No. 20/Permentan/OT.140/4/2009 on Import and Supervision of Carcass, Meat, and/or Innard from Overseas, it also regulates sames thing.According to first part of the rule of requirements for parties (Article 7), either individual or legal body, that imports carcass, meat and /or innards, they are required to have recommendation from provincial agency that handles livestock, animal health, and/or health of veterinary.In fact, they shall have import agreement or written statement from minsiter or official to be able to import carcass, meat and/or innard from overseas producers.As regulated, the aim is to avoid the entry of animals and carantined animal diseases or pests, pest diseases, which has sosio-economic impact nationally and on international trade as well as influence public health.Letter issuedYet, the illegal imported meat will soon have letters from Carantine Body after they arrive in Jakarta to meet the requirements in the ministerial decree.Head of Carantine Body of Ministry of Agriculture Banun Harpini admitted it. "Status of the containers in Tanjung Priok stored in container terminal. The importing parties are given chances to handle the incomplete administration."As confirmed, Minister of Agriculture Suswono said not to receive report on that illegal meat import issue. "Until now I have not received any reports on the retainment of illegal meat imports. So, later, ok." Vice Chairman of House Commission IV Firman Subagyo admitted the issue, also information of 44 containers heading to Indonesia. "In fact, the figure [number of containers] can change in line with the new information from Carantine Body."Subagyo urged government to give explanation. "Minister and his officers shall explain. If not, sort of issue will keep occurring and will block the program of beef sef-sufficiency by 2014," he added.Chairman of Indonesian Cow and Bull Breeders Association Teguh Boediyana agreed if the Minister of Agriculture and his officers shall give explanation on this issue."I do not know why the container data keeps changing," he said.Whereas, Director General of Animal Breeding and Health of Ministry of Agriculture Prabowo Respatiyo Caturoso has issued Circular Letter No. 30018/SE/Hk.340/F/12/2010 on the Entry of Beef Imports in 2011.The circular letter says that Directorate General of Animal Breeding and Health has planned an allocation for imported cows in 2011 up to 500,000 cattles per year.For frozen meat to legally imported, it allocates 50,000 ton of quota per year. The circular letter says that approval letter will be out every three month, and to be evaluated in that period.The evaluation is merely to detect demand fluctation for cow cattle and meat and stockyard inpsection. Also mentioned in the letter, the allocation for January-March 2011, import documents are issued in december 2010.Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) said that the government is not serious for pursuing meat self-suffiency by 2014.Head of HKTI for Breeding Sector Nyoman Suparta said that it is indicated from unfair import policy the government issues rather than encouraging higher production domestically."It seems that government is not yet serious to embrace meat self-sufficiency by 2014," said one of HKTI management led by Prabowo Subianto.Based on work evaluation of Ministry of Agriculture in 2010, beef and bull meat production reached 0.45 ton or rose by 13.3% compared to 2009 figure, while in 2011 it is targeted at 0.439 ton. (NOM)