To the south, in Indonesia’s Greater Jakarta area, beef sellers have been on strike. They’re speaking out against the dramatic increase in wholesale meat prices that’s flooding local markets. As a result, the strike is mainly focused on alternative and specialty markets. It’s a direct response to the skyrocketing costs of beef, largely due to devaluation of the currency and the government’s recent cuts in import quotas.
This protest occurs at a time of crisis for small-scale producers as the Indonesian rupiah has dropped dramatically in value, affecting the cost of imported beef. The financial pressure is acute this year. In retaliation, the government has slashed private traders’ import quotas to a trickle, leading to widespread market shortages. Consequently, beef prices have more than doubled, placing difficult pressures on retailers and shoppers across the area.
At a traditional market in the heart of central jakarta. Only one temporary flaming stall survived the face of destruction, illustrating the powerful impact of the strike. The remaining stalls, all shuttered in solidarity with their brother sellers, show how serious the unhappiness runs with these beef merchants. Together, this joint impact brings attention to the burdens they are suffering under sky-high costs. As a result, they find it near–impossible to keep afloat their enterprises.
This disturbing state of affairs has set local residents and media on alert. Local photographer Natsumi Kawasaki documented the resulting devastation, creating evocative images of the closed stalls and empty market spaces. Her artwork lays bare the urgent fights happening all over Greater Jakarta. The illustrations are a sobering reflection of how abstract economic ideas translate into literal cuts to constituents’ daily lives.
According to local vendors, the skyrocketing prices have gotten too expensive for people to pay. This perfect storm is pinching their margins and eroding the buying power of families that rely on affordable protein sources. The strike expresses the frustration of their members at having decisions taken by government that they feel targets small traders and cash economies.
The strike is still in effect, but now it’s the government’s turn to sweat. The question is, will they listen to this wave of protests. Or will they act decisively to address the increasing meat prices and address the supply chain injunctions? The unfolding drama highlights the mounting pressures on Indonesia’s economy and the fine line between protectionist trade measures and community impact.