Recently, dozens of dairy farmers in Boyolali and Pasuruan took action by dumping milk at landfill sites and on the roadside, as the dairy processing industry (IPS) was unable to absorb the milk produced by many dairy farms.
Despite mediation by the Ministry of Agriculture between farmers and IPS business owners, this highlights an ironic reality.
The government is currently promoting a program that encourages nutritious meals and free milk, which should allow Indonesia’s dairy farmers to thrive.
Professor Widodo from the UGM Faculty of Animal Science expressed regret over the IPS’s failure to absorb dairy products from local farmers.
This issue arises because the government has opened wide doors for milk imports, allowing the IPS to import large quantities of dairy products from abroad. As a result, the absorption of local milk has decreased, citing lower quality as the reason.
Professor Widodo acknowledged that domestic milk products’ competitiveness is far behind that of imported milk.
In addition, imported milk is often cheaper and of higher quality. He cited examples of producers from countries like Australia and New Zealand, which receive more subsidies and government support.
Furthermore, surplus milk in these foreign countries, beyond their domestic needs, affects the price of the milk they produce.
“The main challenge for dairy farmers and milk producers in Indonesia is competing with foreign milk products that are of good quality and relatively cheaper. In many developed countries, he explained that food production, including milk, is more efficient and receives various subsidies from their governments for production and exports,” he explained.
At first glance, importing milk from abroad may seem beneficial, particularly because it brings high-quality milk to the public and reduces business owners’ operational costs.
However, Professor Widodo added that, upon closer inspection, this practice could destroy the livelihoods of dairy farmers in Indonesia. The influx of imported milk causes local dairy products to be outcompeted by foreign products.
“The problem is if we don’t protect our farmers and livestock breeders, where will they go? Over time, we’ll become a consumer nation. Once we are dependent, it will be difficult, and imagine if they suddenly stop exporting,” he said.
The professor argued that the government should consider the dairy industry not only from a business perspective but also from the viewpoint of the cattle farmers. The primary role of the government is to protect and improve the welfare of all citizens in Indonesia.
Furthermore, Professor Widodo emphasized that the quality of dairy products in Indonesia is generally already good, and quality should not be used as a justification for allowing large-scale imports.
“Quality is not the issue. The problem lies in national dairy management, which allows imported milk to dominate the domestic market,” the professor pointed out.
He proposed several options that the government could implement to protect local dairy producers, such as increasing tariffs on imported dairy products.
Second, setting a minimum quota for local milk absorption that IPS must meet. This way, local dairy products will be better absorbed and more evenly distributed in Indonesia.
“The government’s protective measures should include regulations requiring those licensed to import milk also to be obligated to purchase from local farmers,” he said.
He hopes that this issue will not happen again and that the livelihood of farmers and cattle breeders in Indonesia will be more secure and protected by the state.
“We must ensure this doesn’t happen again. The food producers always include farmers and livestock breeders who need to make a living from their work,” he emphasized.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photo: Freepik