International Conference on Agricultural, Environment, and Food Security, 7 – 8 November 2017, Arya Duta Hotel, Medan, Indonesia FLUCTUATION IN WHOLE BEEF PRICES IN EIGHT PROVINCES IN SUMATERA David Yasin 1* ˏAri. Ashari Harahap 1 ˏ Muhammad Ary Syaputra 1 ˏ Randi Mulianda 1 ˏ Try Juli Adha 1 ˏ Simon Petrus Ginting 2 ˏ and Yusuf Leonard Henuk 2** 1 Postgraduate Studentsˏ Faculty of Agricultureˏ University of Sumatera Utaraˏ Medanˏ North Sumatera 20155, INDONESIA 2 Postgraduate Lecturers, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sumatera Utara (USU), Medanˏ North Sumatera 20155, INDONESIA *) Corresponding author: yusufhenuk62@live.com **) Presenting author: davidyasin@gmail.com Abstract A survey has been conducted to study the fluctuation of whole beef prices in eight provinces in Sumatera as the highest population beef cattle compared to other islands in Indonesia. The average live cattle weightˏ live cattle price and total price of beef in eight cities from Lampungˏ South Sumateraˏ Jambiˏ Bengkuluˏ West Sumateraˏ Riauˏ North Sumateraˏ and NAD with the average cattle weight were 486kgˏ 492kgˏ 448kgˏ 464kgˏ 500kgˏ 480kgˏ 500kgˏ and 480kgˏ respectively. These average the cutting weight of beef in the eight cities in Sumatera within the average live cattle weight of 350- 500 kg/head which known as the period of innovation and efficiency toward a competitive beef cattle business. Their average prices and total price in these cities were Rp.4ˏ1000 & Rp.19ˏ926ˏ000; Rp.41ˏ500 & Rp.20ˏ418ˏ000; Rp.43ˏ000 & 19ˏ264ˏ000; Rp.42ˏ500 & Rp.19ˏ720ˏ000; Rp.43ˏ000 & Rp.21ˏ500ˏ000; Rp.43ˏ000 & Rp.20ˏ640ˏ000; Rp.42ˏ500 & Rp.21ˏ250ˏ000; Rp.44ˏ000 & Rp.21ˏ120ˏ000ˏ respectively. There are some significant differences in the price of meat selling in each province which is caused by the consumption habits of beef and other processed products. People West Sumatera, Riau and North Sumatra provinces prefer the final results of processed byproducts of beef which caused the high price of processed byproducts from cattle. While in NAD provinceˏ the meat selling price is very high compared to other provinces, while the selling price of processed beef byproducts is much cheaper than the people outside NAD province, so the selling price of processed beef byproduct can not help to reduce the selling price of meat in the area. average carcass in eight provinces in Sumatera ranged from 49ˏ00% -- 51ˏ00%. Our survey also proved that the price of beef in Aceh is more expensive than other provinces not only in Sumateraˏ but also provinces in Indonesia. Introduction The projection of national supply of consumption of beef in Indonesia relative stableˏ meanwhile the consumption of beef inceases as population grows. It is estimated that if there is no significant technology advancement in producing the local beef and no significant increasing of cow populationˏgap between the local beef production and the number of beef demand will bewidening. Thereforeˏ it will affect the import volume of beef which will be higher in Indonesia (Figure 1 and Table 1; Rudatinˏ 2016). According to “Neraca Ekspor-Impor” for beef in Indonesia (2010 – 2015)ˏ there is no export on beef in Indonesia since 2013 and indeed Indonesia relied heavily on import of beef until now with the price of beef in Indonesia tend to increase (Figure 2).