Samarinda, E Kalimantan (ANTARA Kaltim) - Two villages in the sub-district of Long Iram, West Kutai, East Kalimantan, are keen on becoming cow breeding center.
Therefore, part of 2016 village fund has been used to finance training and for the procurement of cow breeders, Hariati, representing the villagers said on Monday.
Hariati said the villagers of Sukomulyo and Keliwai agreed to use the village funds from the government to raise cows.
Village funds in 2016 totaled Rp6.86 billion for 11 villages in the sub-district of Long Iram that a village has a share of around Rp620 million.
The village of Sukomulyo used Rp360 million of the fund to develop cow breeding farms . The fund was used for the training of the farmers and procurement of 36 cow breeders.
The village of Sukomulyo also set aside Rp70 million of the fund for capital participation in rural business corporation (BUMDes).
The fund, therefore, has been used for productive sectors that would contribute to the regional income in the future.
The village of Keliwai also used Rp38.83 million of its village fund for training of farmers and Rp387 million for the procurement of 36 cow breeders. .
Hariati said Long Iram still need supply of beef from other areas inspiring the villagers to develop cow breeding farms , hoping that in the future the area would no longer to depend on supply from other area for beef.
Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi also hopes to become cow breeding center with Governor Longki Djanggola setting a target that the province would have a cow population of one million by the end of his term of office in 2021.
The governor said the target was quite rational as Central Sulawesi has wide open land with green pasture suitable for raising cows.
In Central Sulawesi there are 13 regencies and city areas potential for large scale development of cattle farms, he said.
He said the province has long been known as major supplier of live cows to other regions in the country.
He said the population of cows in the province has increased significantly from year to year.
In 2015, the province had a cow population of 270,000 and in 2016, the population is expected grow again to 300,000, the governor said.
The government has encouraged expansion of beef cow breeding farms in the country to reduce dependence on import.
The country has imported live cows mainly from Australia.
Earlier, the Indonesian government indicated it would issue permits for the imports of 700,000 live cows from Australia, and buffalo meat from India next year to prevent rising price of beef in the country. (*)
