Beef Vendors in Jabodetabek are Stopping Sales

JAKARTA, – Starting Wednesday (20/2), beef vendors in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) have stopped sales until February 22, 2008. This was done to press the government into lowering the price of both local and imported beef cattle.
Vendors gathered in the Meat Vendor Association in Jakarta, demanded for the government to erase monopoly of cattle and imported meat trade. Through a notice letter from the association, which was founded on February 12, 2008, they said they will hold a demonstration on the parking lot of the National Monument (Monas) and the Palace on Wednesday (20/2).

Meanwhile, beef vendors in Jakarta are at unease after receiving a letter requesting vendors to not do business for three days. A beef vendor in Tanah Abang market, H Oking, in Jakarta was anxious after receiving the letter. “If we stop business for three days, we could lose up to 450,000 rupiahs,” he said. Moreover in that letter, it said they would confiscate goods of vendors that still try to do business and would fine them 10 million rupiahs. He agreed with the demand to lower the price of local and imported beef cattle, but not to the extent that it would burden vendors that are now already in a poor condition. It was said that since two weeks ago, beef price in markets have increased due the increase in price from sub-agents or slaughterhouses. “Currently, beef at market could reach up to 52,000 rupiahs/kilogram, while before it was only 48,000 rupiahs/kilogram,” he said. (ANT/ROY)
Source : Kompas