Import of buffalo meat necessary to meet local beef demand

A file picture of cattle in India. - Reuters

JOHOR BARU: Malaysia has no choice but to import buffalo meat from India as local production of beef is insufficient to meet domestic demand.

Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Kamarudin Md Isa said the cost of beef would go up if imports were to stop.

"Consumers in Indonesia are paying about RM56 per kg for beef as the country has stopped importing the meet, " he said in a press conference on Sunday.

Currently, beef retails for about RM25 per kg domestically.

Dr Kamarudin said this at the World Veterinarian Day 2016 national-level celebration at the state veterinary department in Bandar Baru Uda here.

He said Malaysia produces about 52,000 tonnes of beef annually worth RM169mil, while demand is about 191,000 tonnes.

Dr Kamarudin said Malaysia spent about RM1.14bil on importing beef, with 70% of the meat coming from India and the balance from Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

He said if the country wanted to be more self-sufficient in term of beef supply, Malaysia would need to slaughter 1.1 million heads of cattle yearly, up from 200,000 heads currently.