Warteg Traders Complain Of Missing Tempe Tofu In Kramat Jati Central Market

JAKARTA - Consumers at the Kramat Jati Central Market, East Jakarta, have complained about the loss of tofu and tempeh stocks in traders' stalls in the last two days due to the production strike among soybean craftsmen.

"Since this new year, I have not seen tofu and tempeh again in the market. I also just found out today that there was a strike from the producer," said one consumer of tofu and tempeh, Nurohatun Hasanah (48) quoted by Antara. , Sunday, January 3.

So far, Nurohatun needs 30 to 40 kilograms of tofu and tempeh to be fried and sold at warteg in the Jatinegara area, East Jakarta.

However, since the commodity made from soybeans disappeared from the market, Nurohatun has switched to selling french fries and vegetables.

"There are others, for example there are other vegetable potatoes, if there is no tofu and tempeh. I just found out when he said soybeans are hard," he said.

He hopes the producers will return to supply tofu and tempeh because the food enthusiasts are quite high in his shop.

"The name is Indonesian people, their favorite is tofu. Tempeh should be expensive even though it is expensive," he said.

Another consumer Windy (27) admits that she has not been selling fried tempeh and tofu for the last two days.

"I often buy at the market. Usually for fried food, but from the new year there is not. Usually there are traders who stock, but yesterday there was none, there was also no anterin. He said the peanuts were expensive," he said.

Windy admits that her income has decreased by half from normal since tofu and tempeh disappeared from the market.

"The sales are still, but I don't sell tofu and tempeh, so the income has decreased by about half, because the trade is not complete," he said.

The Pulogadung resident advised the producers to keep the price of tofu and tempeh stable, but even if it had to go up the price was still reasonable and affordable.

"Even though the price is going up, what's important is there is. The important thing is that the increase is affordable. Customers also ask, even though only a week ago toge was not on the market," he said.

Separately, the Central Secretary for the Cooperative for Indonesian Tofu Tempe Producers (Puskopti) DKI Jakarta Handoko Mulyo said that the absence of tofu and tempeh on the market was the result of protests against the increase in soybean prices from Rp 7,200 to Rp 9,200 per kilogram (kg).

"Starting from January 1 to 3, 2021, we will stop production. There are about 5,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) producing tofu and tempeh, agreeing to strike production," he said.

Every day the producers supply tofu and tempeh in Jakarta as much as 500 to 600 tons.