JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno will register tempe as a world heritage to UNESCO. Good spirit. Now is the time for the government to fix the soybean price issue. Don't let the tempeh be destroyed at the same time as it is recorded as a world heritage at the United Nations.
Call us too much about the extinction of tempeh. But the small signs are already visible. Starting from the choking of tempe craftsmen. In Cibuntu, Bandung City, the tofu and tempe craftsmen went on strike as a form of protest against the soaring price of soybeans.
Head of the Bandung City Trade and Industry Service Elly Wasliah, quoted by Antara, explained that in the city of Bandung, the price of soybeans has reached Rp10,700 per kilogram. The price increased from last April, which Elly said was stable at Rp9,200 per kilogram.
[TASTE JOURNALISM: We went to Tofu Factory, Market to Warteg to See the Real Impact of Soybean Price Hikes]
The strike of the tofu-and-tempe craftsmen
In fact, the soybean price of Rp.10,700 or Rp9,200 per kilogram is not a normal figure. Dadang (54), a Cibuntu tofu craftsman, said that normally the price of soybeans is IDR 6,800 to IDR 7 thousand per kilogram.
"Before Eid alone, it was Rp10 thousand per kilogram. Now the increase has reached Rp. 11 thousand," said Dadang, quoted by CNN Indonesia, Friday, May 28.
Dadang said the solution to the strike was inevitable. If they continue to produce tempeh or tofu, they will no longer be able to cover the production costs. Moreover, the figure of IDR 10 thousand today is predicted to continue to creep up.
"The option is to increase the price or reduce the size of the tofu. Now, the production cost is also reduced," said Dadang.
The West Java Tempe Tofu Association explained that production and sales will be stopped for three days, starting today, Friday, May 28. They also agreed to increase the selling price of tofu and tempeh by 15-25 percent as a result of the soybean price increase.
They are aware that the strike will result in losses for them. But, again, this is like a step that you have to take like it or not. And there is a message from this action.
"We hope the government will act to adjust the price of soybeans. Because customers do not want to know about the increase in raw materials," a circular released by the association said.
[TASTE JOURNALISM: We went to Tofu Factory, Market to Warteg to See the Real Impact of Soybean Price Hikes]
What happened?Head of the Bandung City Trade and Industry Office, Elly Wasliah, said that the increase in domestic soybean prices cannot be separated from the increase in global soybean prices. One of the most basic factors is the United States (US) - which is the main supplier of world soybeans - which have not entered the harvest period.
Even so, Elly said the soybean stock was safe. "But the Ministry of Trade has confirmed that the soybean stock is in a safe condition, even though the price is moving up," said Elly, as quoted by Antara, Friday, May 28.
Elly also explained that his party continues to stabilize the price of soybeans by cutting the distribution chain. Later, the distribution of soybeans will be directly connected with tofu and tempe traders.
Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo while visiting tempe-tofu craftsmen in Kalideres, West Jakarta. (Mery Handayani / VOI)
"So, cutting the chain so that no more causes high prices, that's one of the efforts," said Elly.
Different according to Elly, another said David (32), a different tofu craftsman from Cibuntu. According to David, local soybean stocks in the field are very minimal. That is what encourages the tofu-and-tempe craftsmen to use imported soybeans. There have been problems since on the farm.
"The local mah has no production for a long time. The farmers also choose to plant rice instead of planting soybeans because the price is higher," said David.
[TASTE JOURNALISM: We went to Tofu Factory, Market to Warteg to See the Real Impact of Soybean Price Hikes]
The irony of tempeh
This issue must be resolved immediately. Don't be ironic because the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno is planning to register tempe as a world heritage to UNESCO. Sandi expressed the idea at a virtual press conference, Monday, May 24.
The password for tempe will be registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Registration will be carried out next year. Sandi sees tempeh as an attractive culinary delicacy, just like dangdut.
"Tempe as a UNESCO world culinary culture is interesting. After we encourage dangdut to become an intangible cultural heritage. So, tempe will become the next item. We have also done all the preparations," Sandi said.
"We support all tempeh. Starting from sasetan to the size of a brick. This is considered to be a world cultural heritage, which requires several stages," said Sandi.
Trisakti University public policy observer Trubus Rahadiansyah highlighted this irony. According to him, there are two ways to look at this problem. First, that Sandi's idea is a sectoral activity for his ministry so we don't have to think about the fate of the craftsmen.
The second, of course, from a more holistic perspective, is that the policy on tempe which is taken by any ministry is the interest of the state. Not a sectoral agenda, let alone a political individual.
If you believe in the second perspective, then the idea of elevating the honor of tempe as a world heritage must be harmonized with efforts to preserve tempe itself. What is the simplest way to conserve tempe if not ensuring sustainable production?
"In my opinion, the problem is that there is a sectoral ego between ministries, so that the collaboration between ministries is not coordination and cooperation. It is competition. That's where there are many problems that are not synergistic, but competitive," said Trubus, contacted by VOI, Friday, May 28.
As good as Sandi's idea, if in reality the tempe and tofu craftsmen are experiencing difficulties, then there is a problem there. If so, don't be surprised if the idea of registering tempe with UNESCO creates resistance behind it.
"This will be a boomerang when collaboration and cooperation are not in sync. This society accepts one policy. But they see the reality. If this is just like a shame. Later that ends up with resistance," said Trubus.
"I still support the policy to be created again. But with dialogue with the relevant ministries. In order to avoid resistance and avoid actors playing," added Trubus.
[TASTE JOURNALISM: We went to Tofu Factory, Market to Warteg to See the Real Impact of Soybean Price Hikes]
* Read other information about PUBLIC POLICIES or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.
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