REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia intends to strengthen cooperation in cattle breeding and meat supply with New Zealand. The cooperation was agreed when Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno LP Marsudi visited Whenuanui Cattle Farm, in Helensivlle, Auckland ahead of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Murray McCully, in Auckland, Tuesday, March 3.

"Indonesia recognizes New Zealand's capacity and experience in the cattle farming, an area in which Indonesia can learn in its effort to achieve its sustainability in beef production and food security," Minister Retno Marsudi stated.

According to her, there are great opportunities for wider cooperation between Indonesia and New Zealand, including in the area of cattle breeding.

The strengthening of cooperation on this issue will enable Indonesia to diversify its beef and life cattle supply and enable Indonesia to get wider sources of meat, she noted.

The minister added, there was already a strong interlink between New Zealand and Indonesia in cattle farming. Indonesia supplies 49.7 percent of New Zealand palm kernel expeller needs, an important source of supplementary stock-feed primarily for the dairy industry, while 43 percent of New Zealand's export to Indonesia are dairy products.

New Zealand is one of the largest producer of dairy cattle and beef cattle globally, with supply about 6.7 million dairy cattle and around 3.7 million beef cattle in 2014. Total trade between New Zealand and Indonesia were around 1.3 billion USD in 2014.

In agricultural cooperation, Indonesia is also seeking wider New Zealand's market access for its tropical fruits, namely mangosteen, sallaca or snake fruit, and mango.

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