New Import Soybeans Enter January 2023, Minister Of Trade Zulhas Sorry

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan in Bogor. (Photo: Doc. VOI/Mery Handayani)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan revealed that the arrival of imported soybeans had been postponed. The import soybeans should have entered at the end of December 2022, but due to commodity constraints it only arrived in January 2023.

"That soybean, I have spoken everywhere, I apologize. Because it is planned for December to come, but this is back and forth again in January. Hopefully January (enters Indonesia)," he told reporters in Bogor, West Java, Friday, December 23.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, explained that the price of soybeans in the international market has decreased. However, Zulhas did not deny that domestic prices are still high.

"The world price has dropped roughly if it is converted into Rp. 8,000, if Bulog imports up to here it can be Rp. 10,500. But usually there are obstacles, hopefully in January it can get here. Now the price of soybeans is still expensive between Rp. 13,000 to Rp. 15,000," he said.

On that occasion, Zulhas said that the price of soybeans had not actually changed. The current price difference, he said, was because the value of the rupiah against the dollar currency had weakened.

"The actual price has not changed, but our rupiah has dropped. So if it is measured it is the same. Our rupiah is already 10 percent," he said.

Previously, the government had imported soybean commodities in response to soybean scarcity and increased the price of tofu and tempeh in the market.

Zulhas ensured that imported soybeans would enter Indonesia in January 2023.

He also explained that the import of soybeans this time came from South Africa (South Africa). All requirements have been met by the Indonesian government, just waiting for a quarantine permit from the importer.

"January 2023 is coming from South Africa. Kabulog said he was just waiting for a quarantine permit from there (Afsel), not from us. We have ordered. So quarantine is over, then soybeans," he said at the Ministry of Trade Office, Jakarta, Thursday, December 15.