Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s meat processing and importing industry has warned of widespread job losses as the government sharply reduces beef import quotas allocated to private enterprises in 2026.
The Indonesian Meat Entrepreneurs and Processors Association (APPDI) said the total beef import quota for private companies this year has been cut to 30,000 tonnes, down sharply from 180,000 tonnes in 2025. The figure accounts for only a small fraction of Indonesia’s overall import plan of 297,000 tonnes of beef and buffalo meat for 2026.
APPDI Executive Director Teguh Boediyana warned that the drastic reduction could directly disrupt business operations, as companies had developed production and investment plans based on import volumes in previous years.
He said the sudden cut, without prior notice, has placed severe pressure on businesses and raised the risk of layoffs due to supply uncertainty.
APPDI has also called on the government to completely abolish the import quota mechanism, arguing that it hampers market efficiency and creates unfair competition between private enterprises and state-owned companies.
The view was echoed by the Indonesian Animal Protein Entrepreneurs Association (APPHI). APPHI’s representative Marina Ratna DK urged relevant ministries and agencies to carefully assess the policy’s impact amid ongoing economic challenges./.
