Soybean Prices Rise, Government Expected To Give Subsidies

Illustration/Photo: Antara

BANTEN - Lebak Regency DPRD member Musa Weliansyah urged the government to immediately subsidize the price of imported soybeans so that tofu and tempeh craftsmen continue to produce and meet public consumption.

"We hope that the government can realize the soybean subsidy," said Musa Weliansyah when contacted in Lebak, Saturday, February 19.

At present, the tofu and tempeh industry craftsmen in Lebak Regency are devastated by the soaring price of imported soybeans in the market, thus threatening their business to go out of business.

The tofu and tempeh craftsmen, which are mostly run by home businesses, are losing money after the soybean price soared, because the current soybean price in the market has almost doubled.

In fact, tofu and tempeh craftsmen in Lebak Regency were forced to lay off workers to avoid production costs, especially now in the midst of a pandemic.

Imported soybeans are used as raw materials for the production of tofu and tempeh so that they can continue to produce and meet people's consumption.

So far, the production of tofu and tempeh has made basic needs and prices affordable for the poor.

"We ask the government to immediately provide soybean subsidies so that soybean prices return to normal," said PPP Lebak politician.

According to him, the government should immediately step in and sit down with the Indonesian Tofu and Tempe Entrepreneurs Association to provide subsidies for imported soybeans compared to the government rolling out BLT of Rp600 thousand and the Basic Food Program.

If they go on strike nationally, it is as if the government is not present.

Thus, his party hopes that the price of soybeans can be affordable again by tofu and tempeh craftsmen.

"We support the subsidized price of imported soybeans," said the head of the PPP faction of the Lebak DPRD.

He also said that the Ministry of Agriculture could focus on the soybean self-sufficiency program, because Indonesia has a large area of land, so it is no longer dependent on soybean imports.

Local soybean production is of sufficient quality for tofu and tempeh as raw materials.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture to the regions to seriously focus on soybean farming such as on food agriculture by empowering farmer groups as well as individual farmers.

"We believe that Indonesia can be self-sufficient in soybeans," he explained. Meanwhile, Mad Soleh, a tofu craftsman, a resident of Rangkasbitung, Lebak Regency, admitted that he was now hit by the almost doubling of the price of imported soybeans.

The current price of soybeans has penetrated Rp. 570 thousand per 50 kilograms, whereas the previous price was Rp. 300 thousand.

The increase in the price of soybeans, of course, threatens the tofu craftsmen to go bankrupt, especially the price of cooking oil also rises.

Most of the tofu craftsmen here produce fried tofu and are sold at retail, so they are forced to sell at a loss instead of selling a profit.

"We hope the government can intervene by providing soybean subsidies," he explained.