February 28, 2026 | 03:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As the owner of a restaurant specializing in smoked meats, Kemal Ardianto was startled by the recent surge in imported beef prices. The proprietor of Selow BBQ in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, had long relied on American short plate cuts for his signature smoked brisket. But in early 2026, he switched to Australian beef. "Because the price still worked for me," he told Tempo on Friday, February 20, 2026.
In 2025, American short plate hovered around Rp120,000 to Rp130,000 (about US$7-7.7) per kilogram. By the turn of 2026, the price of the same product abruptly surged to Rp170,000 (US$10). "The hike has been insane," Kemal said. He added that while Australian beef prices have also climbed, the increase—ranging from Rp9,000 to Rp10,000 (US$0.53-0.59) per kilogram—remains bearable.
Price is not the only hurdle. Supply disruptions have plagued the market since the start of the year. Kemal recently ordered dozens of kilograms of beef for a catering contract, but suppliers were unable to fulfill the demand due to thinning stocks. Deliveries arrived in trickles. On average, Kemal's business requires at least 100 kilograms of short plate a month.
The spike in imported beef prices in early 2026 is believed to be linked to limited supply following changes in import governance. Late last year, the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs significantly cut the allocation of frozen beef imports for private companies in 2026 to only 30,000 tons, or around 16 percent of the total beef import quota. This marked a sharp decline from the previous year's allocation of 180,000 tons.
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