YOGYAKARTA – Funds allocation for cattle replacement due to Merapi eruption is distributed by the Government through the Agriculture Ministry, reaching up to Rp35.9 billion for 4007 cattle in four regencies: Sleman, Klaten, Boyolali and Magelang. The amount increased by around Rp10 billion from the initial Rp25.5 billion for 3000 cattle. “Many of dead cows were found on the field. Allocation of this fund has been distributed to each of the four regencies," said coordinator of the Merapi Livestock Identification Team, the Ministry of Agriculture, Prof. Dr. drh. Ida Tjahajati, M.S, on Monday (24/1) on UGM campus.
Ida said, up to this date the fund that has been distributed to Sleman regency reached Rp24 billion for 3412 cattle, Klaten regency Rp2.8 billion for the replacement of 389 cattle. Next, Boyolali and Magelang reached Rp2.07 billion and Rp1.3 billion to replace 176 and 29 of cattle respectively. "The dead cows are not replaced with money, but with a live cow that has been purchased with this fund from National Agency for Disaster Recovery (BNPB)," she said
Funds for the cow replacement were taken from the BNPB fund that was previously allocated to purchase a live cow, amounting Rp100 billion. However, the funds are not fully absorbed because most farmers do not sell the cows because the area where they live is already in a secure condition from the eruption danger.
"Apart from the secure area, their cows are healthy as they have already been handled by the livestock task force team, formed by Ministry of Agriculture and supported by the Prof.Soeparwi Veterinary medical team," said the Director of Prof. Soeparwi Animal Hospital.
Ida mentioned, from the Rp 100 billion prepared by the Government, so far only Rp35.9 billion has been used for the live cows purchase and dead cattle replacement. "Only Rp35.9 billion of the government funds for the live cattle amounting to 100 billion has been used," she said.
Earlier on Sunday (30/1), Minister of Agriculture Suswono and his entourage consisting of Co-ordinating Minister of People’s Welfare Agung Laksono, Minister of Social Affairs Salim Segaff Al-Jufri, Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto, and Chief of BNPB Syamsul Maarif, symbolically handed over Social Assistance (Bansos) of 44 dairy cows to the three cooperatives in the area of Sleman, namely Warga Mulya, Sarono Makmur, and UPP Kaliurang cooperatives.