Jakarta. Indonesia is exploring the possibility of importing beef from Argentina as part of a proposed trade partnership that could also see Indonesian fruits and poultry products entering the South American market, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono said the initiative was discussed during a meeting in Jakarta with Argentina’s Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Agustin Tejeda Rodriguez. Both sides agreed to strengthen mutually beneficial trade cooperation.

“Argentina has significant capacity in livestock production, particularly in beef and live cattle exports,” Sudaryono said, as quoted by Antara. “They have proposed exporting beef to help meet Indonesia’s domestic demand.”

Sudaryono noted that Indonesia has no strategic objections to the proposal, but emphasized the need for technical discussions -- especially concerning logistics, given the long shipping distance between the two countries.

“Distribution efficiency is key,” he said.

A major point of consideration is Indonesia’s requirement for halal certification, as the majority of the country’s population is Muslim. Any beef imports must comply with strict halal standards before entering the market.

Indonesia, in return, is seeking reciprocal trade opportunities. The government has expressed interest in exporting horticultural products, tropical fruits, and processed poultry to Argentina, especially given the current domestic surplus of chicken meat.

“The meeting went well. There are no major obstacles, and we see this as a chance to strengthen trade relations between our countries,” Sudaryono added.

Rodriguez confirmed that Argentina’s main objective is to gain access to the Indonesian market for its beef exports. He also said that Argentina is open to expanding imports of Indonesian agricultural goods in the spirit of balanced trade and deeper bilateral ties.

As one of the world’s largest beef exporters, Argentina is working to fulfill Indonesia’s health and halal certification requirements. However, no import quota has been set yet. The volume of beef shipments will be determined once all legal and technical procedures are finalized.

“We hope the process can be completed this year,” Rodriguez said.