Tweet
Beef or wild boar (pork)? A meaty issue in Lampung
This article refers to an animal we hadn't considered as H5N1 carrier in Indo......the wild boar! People sometimes eat it unknowingly.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detail...021.G04&irec=4
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Food purity has become a concern in Lampung province ahead of Idul Fitri, with rumors that some of the beef being sold in traditional markets has been mixed with wild boar meat.
It is common for beef prices to rise significantly ahead of the holiday, as people prepare for big Idul Fitri meals. In the past there have been cases of traders mixing beef with cheaper meats such as pork, which is haram, or not allowed, for Muslims.
"I remember last year when a butcher sold beef mixed with wild boar meat ahead of Idul Fitri. The case was only uncovered after Idul Fitri and the seller was eventually prosecuted. Now I prefer to buy fish," Setiarin, 40, a resident of provincial capital Bandarlampung, said Wednesday.
"Having rendang (beef cooked in coconut milk) to accompany ketupat (rice cooked in a coconut leaf) has been an Idul Fitri tradition for Muslims in Lampung for a long time. However, this year I'll forget the rendang. I won't buy chicken either because of bird flu," she said.
Another Bandarlamupung resident, Sumarsih, 45, said she had heard the rumors but would still buy beef for her family's Idul Fitri meal.
"My husband and children will complain if I don't cook rendang for Idul Fitri. Despite concerns about the beef being mixed with wild boar meat, I'll still buy a few kilograms of beef. To be safe, I'll buy it now and put it in the freezer. The price will double if I wait and buy it two days ahead of Idul Fitri," Sumarsih said.
Customers are not the only ones concerned by the rumors of pork being mixed with beef. Meat sellers in traditional markets are also worried because the rumors have hurt sales.
"On normal days, sales can reach Rp 2.5 million (US$278). During Ramadhan this year, sales have dropped to Rp 2 million per day, when normally I'd expect sales to double," said Jamil, a beef vendor at Kangkung market in the capital.
"I don't know when this issue will end. But it has definitely caused real concern among butchers. We sell real beef; it's not mixed with anything. I know that's a sin ... and I wouldn't do such a thing," he said.
Police in Bogor, just outside Jakarta, arrested a meat vendor two weeks ago for mixing wild boar meat with his beef. Authorities believe the boar meat came from Lampung, which is the nearest area to Bogor that is still home to a sizable wild boar population.
Since Oct. 10, the Bandarlampung Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Office has been conducting operations in traditional markets to prevent the sale of adulterated beef. Despite the rumors, however, officials from the office have yet to find a single vendor selling adulterated beef.
Office head Zulhana Paita said the office would continue its daily operations to prevent any cases like last year.
"We have so far not found anyone selling beef mixed with wild boar meat. However, we will continue to conduct raids to prevent public anxiety," Zulhana said.
A meat vendor at Bambu Kuning traditional market was arrested several days ahead of Idul Fitri last year for selling hundreds of kilograms of wild boar meat mixed with beef. The public was made aware of the case only after Idul Fitri. The vendor was eventually sentenced to several years in prison.
Zulhana said it was unlikely there would be any repeat of the case at Bambu Kuning market, because demand for beef was unusually low, keeping prices down.
"The demand for beef usually rises two days ahead of Idul Fitri. We have been conducting raids for the past two weeks. We appeal to meat vendors not to get involved in any scams," she said.
Bandarlampung Mayor Eddy Sutrisno urged residents to be cautious when buying meat, but not to let the rumors stop them from purchasing and enjoying beef during the holiday.
"We have deployed teams to conduct routine operations. We have asked the police to take stern measures against anyone caught in the illegal practice," Eddy said.
A member of the Lampung Consumer Protection Agency, Daniel Ganie, said operations at traditional markets should be expanded to include cities and regencies throughout the province.
"The distribution of meat to markets is not monitored at the regency level, despite the fact that the sale of wild boar and deer meat has been going on for a long time in the regencies. The meat is usually mixed with beef," Daniel said.
He said the issue of the wild boar meat was a sensitive one for Muslims, and that the Lampung provincial administration should make efforts to prevent a repeat of last year's incident.
"The provincial administration should help educate the public about how to tell the difference between wild boar meat and beef, so they can be more careful shoppers," he said.
.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detail...021.G04&irec=4
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Food purity has become a concern in Lampung province ahead of Idul Fitri, with rumors that some of the beef being sold in traditional markets has been mixed with wild boar meat.
It is common for beef prices to rise significantly ahead of the holiday, as people prepare for big Idul Fitri meals. In the past there have been cases of traders mixing beef with cheaper meats such as pork, which is haram, or not allowed, for Muslims.
"I remember last year when a butcher sold beef mixed with wild boar meat ahead of Idul Fitri. The case was only uncovered after Idul Fitri and the seller was eventually prosecuted. Now I prefer to buy fish," Setiarin, 40, a resident of provincial capital Bandarlampung, said Wednesday.
"Having rendang (beef cooked in coconut milk) to accompany ketupat (rice cooked in a coconut leaf) has been an Idul Fitri tradition for Muslims in Lampung for a long time. However, this year I'll forget the rendang. I won't buy chicken either because of bird flu," she said.
Another Bandarlamupung resident, Sumarsih, 45, said she had heard the rumors but would still buy beef for her family's Idul Fitri meal.
"My husband and children will complain if I don't cook rendang for Idul Fitri. Despite concerns about the beef being mixed with wild boar meat, I'll still buy a few kilograms of beef. To be safe, I'll buy it now and put it in the freezer. The price will double if I wait and buy it two days ahead of Idul Fitri," Sumarsih said.
Customers are not the only ones concerned by the rumors of pork being mixed with beef. Meat sellers in traditional markets are also worried because the rumors have hurt sales.
"On normal days, sales can reach Rp 2.5 million (US$278). During Ramadhan this year, sales have dropped to Rp 2 million per day, when normally I'd expect sales to double," said Jamil, a beef vendor at Kangkung market in the capital.
"I don't know when this issue will end. But it has definitely caused real concern among butchers. We sell real beef; it's not mixed with anything. I know that's a sin ... and I wouldn't do such a thing," he said.
Police in Bogor, just outside Jakarta, arrested a meat vendor two weeks ago for mixing wild boar meat with his beef. Authorities believe the boar meat came from Lampung, which is the nearest area to Bogor that is still home to a sizable wild boar population.
Since Oct. 10, the Bandarlampung Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Office has been conducting operations in traditional markets to prevent the sale of adulterated beef. Despite the rumors, however, officials from the office have yet to find a single vendor selling adulterated beef.
Office head Zulhana Paita said the office would continue its daily operations to prevent any cases like last year.
"We have so far not found anyone selling beef mixed with wild boar meat. However, we will continue to conduct raids to prevent public anxiety," Zulhana said.
A meat vendor at Bambu Kuning traditional market was arrested several days ahead of Idul Fitri last year for selling hundreds of kilograms of wild boar meat mixed with beef. The public was made aware of the case only after Idul Fitri. The vendor was eventually sentenced to several years in prison.
Zulhana said it was unlikely there would be any repeat of the case at Bambu Kuning market, because demand for beef was unusually low, keeping prices down.
"The demand for beef usually rises two days ahead of Idul Fitri. We have been conducting raids for the past two weeks. We appeal to meat vendors not to get involved in any scams," she said.
Bandarlampung Mayor Eddy Sutrisno urged residents to be cautious when buying meat, but not to let the rumors stop them from purchasing and enjoying beef during the holiday.
"We have deployed teams to conduct routine operations. We have asked the police to take stern measures against anyone caught in the illegal practice," Eddy said.
A member of the Lampung Consumer Protection Agency, Daniel Ganie, said operations at traditional markets should be expanded to include cities and regencies throughout the province.
"The distribution of meat to markets is not monitored at the regency level, despite the fact that the sale of wild boar and deer meat has been going on for a long time in the regencies. The meat is usually mixed with beef," Daniel said.
He said the issue of the wild boar meat was a sensitive one for Muslims, and that the Lampung provincial administration should make efforts to prevent a repeat of last year's incident.
"The provincial administration should help educate the public about how to tell the difference between wild boar meat and beef, so they can be more careful shoppers," he said.
.