Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo Optimistic RI Will No Longer Import Soil From The US And Brazil

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (Mentan SYL) is optimistic that soybeans will no longer be imported from the United States and Brazil after soybeans from local seeds with high productivity began to be developed. "We believe that high productivity soybean commodities can meet people's food needs," said Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo during a soybean harvest in Rancasanggal Village in Cinangka District, Serang Regency, Banten, quoted from Antara, Thursday, September 15. Through the development of local soybean seeds, it is certain that in the future Indonesia will no longer need to import soybeans from abroad. So far, the need for soybeans is still met by local or imported soybeans so that it does not cause price turmoil. To meet the availability of local soybeans, farmers in Serang Regency are now developing local seeds of Dega and Migo varieties with a productivity of 4-5 tons/hectare. The productivity of local soybean commodities, said Syahrul, is certainly the same as in the United States and Brazil as a soybean exporter country. They develop soybean farming and have a special behavioral mechanism for soybean productivity as well as a large area of land. However, currently farmers in the country are experiencing problems of declining productivity due to weather anomalies. This, he said, provides opportunities and opportunities for Indonesian farmers to develop soybeans with local seeds with high productivity. "Soybean development can certainly meet the availability of people's food and can also generate income for farmers and workers as expected by President Joko Widodo," he explained. According to him, the government is currently trying its best to provide soybeans and is determined not to rely on imports. The Indonesian people almost consume tempeh, tofu, soy sauce, and others whose raw materials are from soybeans almost every day. However, the need for soybeans is still supplied by imports because the quality is quite good and the price is cheaper. He is optimistic that Indonesia will be able to meet domestic soybean products without imports. In fact, the supply of rice is now sufficient for people's food needs and is not imported. "We ask farmers to continue to develop local variety seed soybean commodities with high productivity so that they can meet people's food needs," he said. He said that Banten Province is expected to be a center for developing local commodity seeds with high productivity, such as Dega and Migo. The development of high productivity seeds in Serang Regency was made by agricultural expert Prof Ali. Therefore, his party asked Prof. Ali to also help develop seed sources in Banten Province. In a number of other areas, local variety seeds are also developed with a productivity of 2-5 tons/hectare. "We are determined that Indonesia will be able to fulfill the availability of soybeans so that imports are no longer supplied from abroad," he said.