Cattle Sharing of Farmers under a Rise in Beef Price

- The Case of the Malang District in Indonesia -

Abstract

This study aimed to identify farmers’ difficulties in accessing cattle under a rise in beef price and to describe cattle sharing, a strategy they undertake to improve their access to cattle. A survey using qualitative data with in-depth interviews was administered to 13 farmers in the Malang district, one of the big five cattle production regions in the East Java province, which experienced the highest production increase among provinces in 2013-2015 after the big cattle depopulation in 2012-2013. The results showed that during 2010-2015, cattle price rose following a rise in beef price. This rise in cattle price made it difficult for farmers, particularly smallholders, to access cattle. Most of the interviewed farmers joined a cattle sharing system. Cattle sharing in the Malang district (1) did not involve a written contract, making the agreement more flexible under a rise in beef price; (2) involved actors who are mostly neighbors or relatives, limiting the participation of other potential investors, and on the other hand, facilitating the contract because both parties knew each other’s skill levels; (3) constituted two types of cattle management: owner-initiated cattle sharing and farmer-initiated cattle sharing. A farmer’s skills and financial support proved to be keys to a successful cattle sharing system and to an increase in cattle production.