Ministry Of Trade: Soybean Stock Still Sufficient For National Needs

Illustration tofu. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Director General of Domestic Trade, Syailendra, emphasized that the soybean stock is currently sufficient to meet national needs, so the Ministry of Trade guarantees that soybeans will always remain available and that the tofu and tempe craftsmen will continue to produce to meet people's needs amid the increase in imported soybean prices.

"The increase in soybean prices at the level of tofu and tempe producers is the impact of world soybean price movements since the middle of last year until now," said Syailendra as quoted by Antara, Monday, February 1.

Sourced from the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), the world price of soybeans in December 2020 was still at 13.12 US dollars / bushels for supply in January 2021. At this time, the price had increased 4.42 percent to 13.7 US dollars / bushels. for the supply of soybeans in February. However, it is hoped that world soybean prices will decline in correction in the next period.

According to Syailendra, currently the price of imported soybeans at the level of tofu and tempe craftsmen is generally in the range of IDR 9,100 / kg to IDR 9,200 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of imported soybeans in February is estimated to be around Rp9,500 per kg at the level of tofu and tempe producers.

In addition, there will be an adjustment to the price of tofu from previously IDR 600 per piece to around IDR 650 per piece and tempe price from IDR 15,000 per kg to around IDR 16,000 / kg.

Syailendra added, there was an increase in world soybean prices which reached 30 percent previously, from the second half of last year to the end of 2020.

This has an impact on the adjustment of tofu and tempe prices in the market which has increased to an average of 20 percent, considering that soybeans provide a large enough contribution as raw material for tofu and tempe production.

"The adjustment of tofu and tempeh prices in the market is something that cannot be avoided. This is because the majority of Indonesia's soybean needs are still met through imports and it is influenced by world soybean price movements which have an impact on the prices of soybean raw materials for tofu and tempeh in Indonesia," said Syailendra.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Trade will monitor and evaluate world soybean price movements whether there is a decrease or increase in prices, to ensure that the soybean price at the level of tofu and tempe producers and tofu and tempeh prices in the market are still at a reasonable level.

Syailendra also appealed to importers who have soybean stocks to continue to supply soybeans continuously to tofu and tempe producers who are members of the Indonesian Tofu and Tempe Cooperative Association (Gakoptindo), both in the provincial Puskopti and Kopti regencies / cities throughout Indonesia.

"It is hoped that the production of tofu and tempe will continue to run and people will still get tofu and tempeh at affordable prices," concluded Syailendra.