Badanas Helps Distribution Of Farmers' Soybeans To Be Absorbed In The Market

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The National Food Agency (Bapanas) is trying to get soybean farmers to be absorbed by the market through food distribution facilitation (FDP) soybeans from farmers to soybean business actors.

Badanas has distributed 10 tons of dried soybeans from Pati Regency farmers to the Tofu and Tempe Producer Cooperative in Bandung Regency, West Java, and a number of the same ones were also distributed to the Indonesian Tempe House Cooperative (Kopti) in Bogor Regency, West Java.

Head of Badanas Arief Prasetyo Adi, in a press release in Jakarta, Wednesday, said this step was taken to maintain the stabilization of soybean prices at the farmer level during the soybean harvest season, which is expected to occur from August to September 2024.

This soybean food distribution facilitation assistance by Bapanas is given to partners such as Kopti, tempe and tofu craftsmen, as well as other business actors.

"We have coordinated with the Association of Indonesian Tofu Tempe Producers Cooperatives Gakoptindo, Kopti, soybean business actors and importers to participate in absorbing farmers' crops at a reasonable price," he said, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, September 11.

Badanas noted that at the peak of the main harvest in early September the price of soybeans at the farmer level in Central Java had touched IDR 8,500-8,700 per kg, down from the previous year's price which touched IDR 10,000-10,500 per kg. This condition is considered to have an impact on the motivation of farmers to plant soybeans in the next period.

Based on data from the Bapanas Food Price Panel on September 9, 2024, the national average price of dried soybeans at the producer level is IDR 10,030 per kg, 6.91 percent lower than the producer-level Purchase Reference Price (HAP).

The average highest price is in Jambi Province, which is IDR 11,500 per kg and the lowest is in Banten Province with IDR 9,000 per kg. The national soybean production in 2024 is estimated at 150 thousand tons.

"Until today, several soybean business actors are committed to helping absorb soybean farmers, including KOPTI Bogor who are ready to absorb 30 tons, Kopti Bandung 10 tons, Central Java Provincial Government 16.4 tons, PT FKS 10 tons, PT GCU 10 tons, and tempe craftsmen in Klaten Regency 10 tons," said Arief.

"If later Kopti, tempeh and tofu craftsmen, PT FKS, and PT GCU continue to absorb again, of course the upstream supply will return smoothly, guaranteed marketing, and farmers will continue to be enthusiastic about planting," he concluded.