Tempe Entrepreneurs Go To Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul: If Soybean Prices Continue To Increase, Better To Close Business

JAKARTA - The soaring price of imported soybeans on the market has made many tofu-and-tempe craftsmen protest, even going on a production strike for three days. This condition has a direct impact on soybean sellers, namely a drastic decrease in the number of buyers.

Soybean seller, Karbani, when met by VOI, Thursday, January 7, said that the increase in soybean prices made tempe craftsmen confused. Because, with the price of raw materials reaching Rp. 9,100 per kilogram (kg), the profits will be very thin.

"I'm angry, but what are you going to do. In fact, what are the expensive peanuts going to say? Who do you want to protest, who has the beans? The top people. So we can't talk. Now they are bought, made, there's no profit. fortunately) but a little, I can just buy rice, thank God, "he said, when met at the PIK KOPTI Complex, Semanan, Kalideres, West Jakarta, Thursday, December 7.

Karbani said that currently the capital price for soybeans was IDR 8,900, previously IDR 7,000. Resale price at IDR 9,100. Meanwhile, per quintal alone the price reaches Rp. 700 from middlemen and is sold for Rp. 910 thousand.

This increase, said Karbani, would certainly be burdensome for tofu-tempe craftsmen. As a result, soybean buyers have decreased drastically. This is because many of the tofu and tempe craftsmen choose not to produce.

"Up to now, there are (those who buy). Even though they are expensive, they are still bought. But buyers have dropped drastically by 50 to 70 percent because they cannot share (between the price of soybeans, production costs and selling prices)," he said.

Karbani hopes that soybean prices will return to decline and be stable. If the price of soybeans continues to soar, even to the point of reaching Rp1 million per quintal, many soybean sellers will choose to close.

"If it reaches Rp1 million per quintal, it is better to close it. Fortunately the government sees this and does not let it rise again. The government must be able to do it (the price of soybeans goes down) to feel sorry for the people. he said.

Regarding the types of soybeans he sells, Karbani said he only sells imported soybeans. Not because you don't want to sell local soybeans, but the price is much higher. Moreover, there is no supply.

"There are no local producers here, sir, local producers have never appeared, we don't even know the price comparison," he explained.

As is known, the soaring prices of imported soybeans made tofu and tempe producers decide to stop selling for 3 days, starting from January 1 yesterday to January 3. As a result, the supply of tempeh and tofu is very scarce in the field.

This step is inevitably the last option for the craftsmen because until now the price of soybeans continues to soar. The price of soybeans can continue to rise every day. This condition made it difficult for the craftsmen, because the increase was no longer reasonable.

Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo launched a market operation to stabilize soybean prices. Syahrul also took the time to meet with the tofu-and-tempe craftsmen to ask about their production amid the increasing price of soybeans.

Syahrul said several tofu and tempe craftsmen he met complained about the same thing, namely the increasing price of soybeans. Meanwhile, there is no problem with the supply of soybeans.

"The complaint is because the price is going up. If he doesn't increase it, he will lose. We must also protect it," he said.

One of the craftsmen Syahrul met, Abu Ajis (25) said that due to the increase in the price of imported soybeans, the price of tofu also jumped. This has an impact on the number of buyers that are reduced.

"The price of tofu has increased by 20 percent. For tempeh, we cannot increase it. So we reduce the size of the tempeh," said Abu.

Abu gave an example before the price of imported soybeans was charged, the craftsmen could sell tofu at a price of IDR 500 per piece. However, as the soybean rose the price adjusted to Rp. 600.

Furthermore, Abu explained that even though the price of soybeans had risen, his party would still buy. This is because the price of local soybeans is much more expensive if used as a basis for production.

"We use imported soybeans. Because local prices are twice that of imports. Local ones are Rp. 16,000 per kilogram (kg). Meanwhile, imports are Rp. 9,300 per kg," he said.