Today, The Association Of Tempe-Tofu Producers Met Trade Minister M. Lutfi About Soybeans: This Is The Leaks

Tofu craftsmen in Lebak Regency, Banten have returned to production after the last three days of a strike action following an increase in soybean prices in the market. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Jakarta - The Association of Indonesian Tofu Tempe Producers Cooperatives (Gapoktindo) will meet with Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi, Wednesday, January 6. They want to consult regarding the polemic of imported soybean prices which continues to skyrocket.

Gapoktindo chairman Aip Syarifudin said that the agenda he wanted to carry out would be based on the interests of all parties so that the food commodity production process would continue to run smoothly.

"I just want to suggest to the government to make a trade system policy that is more conducive to the business world, even though the current one is quite good," he told VOI, Tuesday, January 5, 2020.

Even though he is considered to have qualified regulations, Aip has criticized the global soybean trade system which is based on free trade without any efforts from the government to protect national interests more intensively.

This is because, he said, Indonesia must compete with big importers like China, whose soybean needs are 97 percent more than RI. He noted that the Indonesian government imported 2.6 million tons of soybeans from abroad. Meanwhile, China requires 100 million tons of the same commodity from the international market.

"There must be an action from the state if there is difficulty in obtaining imported soybeans as it is today. We must provide concrete anticipatory steps to protect tempe and tofu producers in Indonesia, "he said.

To note, in November 2020 the global soybean price was recorded at the level of 11.92 US dollars per bushels. A month later, the price crept up to 12.5 US dollars per bushels.

The world food organization FAO also agrees with this. In FAO records, the price of soybeans is believed to have jumped 6 percent to 461 US dollars per ton from the previous 435 US dollars per ton.

As for the level of domestic tempe-tofu craftsmen, the increase in the price of imported soybeans increased by about 20 percent from the usual IDR 7,000 to IDR 9,500. It is suspected that the increase in the price of vegetable protein commodities was due to China's buying action in the international market.

"In essence, what is the best suggestion to the government. Provide policies or regulations that benefit tempe-tofu craftsmen, benefit farmers, also benefit importers, especially benefiting Indonesian people who are tempe-tofu lovers. So the direction is there, "concluded Aip.