Indonesia tightens controls: pressure on feedlots and importers

The government of Indonesia has reduced the maximum price at which feedlots can sell finished cattle during the peak consumption period linked to Ramadan, cutting it from IDR 58,000 to IDR 55,000 per kilo (from US$ 3.47 to US$ 3.29 per kilo liveweight, a 5.2% drop). The move increases pressure on the profitability of feedlots importing live cattle, mainly from Australia, Beef Central reported.

According to the same source, Australian live cattle import prices in Indonesia are around A$ 4.80 per kilo (about US$ 3.36), leaving feedlots with negative margins.

At the same time, authorities announced a major shift in chilled and frozen beef import policy, transferring most import permits from private companies to State-Owned Enterprises, with the stated aim of enabling faster intervention in price fluctuations. For 2026, private firms would receive permits for just 30,000 tons, compared with 250,000 tons allocated to state-owned companies.