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JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Minister of Agriculture (Mentan), Syahrul Yasin Limpo, recognized that the development of soy production by local farmers is difficult to achieve self-sufficiency of soybeans.
This is because these staples have no market certainty compared to other food products.
It is recognized that increasing soy production is not easy to do, considering that soy is still positioned as a cross-crop or interlude of major crops such as rice, corn, sugar cane, tobacco, and shallots.
Syahrul explained that the fulfillment of soy independently is necessary considering that the need for soy as a raw material for the production of tempe and tofu increases every year.
Also read: Soybean prices are expensive, tofu and tempeh contribute to inflation
The government, he said, continues to work to suppress soybean imports, which are still high.
“This condition makes it difficult for farmers to grow soybeans. Farmers prefer to plant other commodities that have certainty in the market. But we continue to encourage farmers to grow them,” Syahrul said. Between, Monday (1/4/2021).
“In fact, we have compiled the action program and, most importantly, its implementation in the field,” he said again.
According to Syahrul, the problem of dependence on imports and its impact on prices is a global problem that affects the producer’s country of origin, that is, the United States.
Also read: Jokowi’s promise to achieve IR self-sufficiency in soybeans in 3 years and its realization
The rise in the price of soybeans, according to the Ministry of Commerce, was due to increased consumer demand from China as the world’s largest soybean importing country.
Indonesia, which became a soy importing country after China, finally felt the impact of a lack of supply of this commodity.
The rise in soybean prices is a burden on the tofu and tempe artisans, who are forced to increase the sale price.
“Not only in Indonesia is there a contraction like this, in Argentina, for example, there is also a controversy about soy production,” said Agriculture Minister Syahrul.
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Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture will focus on doubling the production or availability of national soybeans.
National soybean production must be able to compete, both in quality and price, expanding the area planted and synergizing the integrators, work units of the Ministry of Agriculture and local governments.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Agriculture facilitated a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian Tofu and Tofu Producers Cooperatives Association (Gakoptindo) and the Farmers Groups Association (Gapoktan), as well as investors and the General Directorate of Food Crops.
The cooperation aims to increase production partnerships and maximize marketing and uptake of local farmer-owned soybeans.
Also read: Why is Indonesia dependent on imported soybeans from the United States?
“We have met with the ranks of the Ministry of Agriculture and we have also involved integrators and other work units from the ministry and local governments to prepare our national soybeans faster,” Syahrul said.
As is known, the current price of soybeans has risen to Rp.9,300 per kilogram, from the price of three months ago that was still in the Rp range. 6,000-Rp. 7,000 per kilogram, according to data from the Association of Indonesian Cooperatives of Tempe Tofu (Gakoptindo).
