Australia Ships 1,300 Dairy Cows to Indonesia – Massive Push for Free School Meals Program

(Image Source: UNSPLASH/Carolien van Oijen)

Australia dispatched 1,383 pregnant dairy cows to Indonesia on January 31, 2026, bolstering the nation’s milk supply chain. The shipment—split between Lunar Chemast (1,094 cows) and Mazaraat Lokanatura Indonesia—arrives amid soaring demand from President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) free school meals program.

Agriculture Ministry Director General Agung Suganda confirmed: “These aren’t just cows—they’re strategic investments for people’s dairy farms.” Current national herd: ~220,000 cows. Target: 1 million by 2029 to achieve milk self-sufficiency.
2025 imports already hit 33,955 cows (13,544 dairy). February batch accelerates Program Percepatan Produksi Susu dan Daging Nasional (P2SDN).

MBG targets 83 million kids + pregnant mothers. Daily requirement: 1.5 liters/child = 124.5 million liters/day. Current production: 3.5 million liters/day (2.8% capacity). Imports bridge 97% gap.

Balai Karantina Hewan Semarang (BKHS):
• 14-day quarantine Cilacap port
• Brucellosis, bluetongue, foot-and-mouth tests
• Pregnancy stage: 3-5 months Holstein-Friesian
Head BKHS Imron: “Full health screening ensures food safety”.

Government budget constraints force public-private partnerships. Greenfields (Jatim), Ultrajaya, Indofood commit $3B investment for breeding farms.

• Jobs: 50,000 new dairy positions
• GDP: $2.8B annual milk industry growth
• Imports: Brazil, Vietnam, Denmark queued (Brazil permits approved)

Australia-Indonesia livestock trade:
• 2020 IA-CEPA: 575K duty-free quota
• 2025: 33K cows imported
• 2026 target: 200K+ head

• Feed costs: Rp8-10K/liter imported feed
• Veterinarian shortage: 1:50K ratio
• Land: Dairy needs 1.5ha/cow
Govt incentives: subsidized AI, free vet services, Rp50M/cow loans.

Suganda: “Imported cows average 25 liters/day vs local 12 liters. Expect 30% production jump Q3 2026”.

Australia: 25M liters/farm/year. Indonesia target: 10M by 2029 (3x growth).

1,300 Aussie cows = concrete step toward milk independence. MBG success hinges on execution—watch Q3 milk prices drop.