RI TO ALLOW MEAT IMPORTS FROM BRAZIL

Jakarta, Jan 5 (ANTARA) - Indonesia plans to allow imports of meat from Brazil in an effort to lower domestic meat prices, Agriculture Minister Anton Aprijantono said.
"We will expand sources of supply, which now can be from anywhere, but the most important thing is that the meat is safe and halal (edible according to Islamic law) to consume," Apriyantono said at the presidential office here on Monday.
He said the additional supply of meat from Brazil would be realized immediately depending on the readiness of businessmen to conduct imports.
"We will first inform the importers about its regulation but preparations should continue," he said.
Besides for increasing supply, the minister suggested that classification of the meat to be sold was made so that different prices could be applied for special and regular meat.
"Like now all kinds of meat are treated the same while they are actually classifiable into cube roll for middle-income consumers for example and regular for general consumers," he said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier said the government would cut the price of meat following the drop in the price of fuel oils.
"The structure of the meat prices must be improved so that meat will become less expensive to the public," he said.