Indonesia Arrival Of Import Soybeans 56,000 Tons, Badanas Asks For Distribution

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan (right) together with Head of Badanas Arief Prasetyo Adi (center) and Regent Sumbawa Mahmud Abdullah (left)

JAKARTA - Indonesia officially received the arrival of 56,000 tons of imported soybeans from New Orleans, United States (US) this afternoon. The arrival of imported soybeans is believed to reduce the increase in domestic soybean prices.

The importation of soybeans is procurement carried out through the private company FKS Multi Agro.

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi asked that these imported soybeans must be distributed immediately. He wants the collaboration of relevant stakeholders to participate in accelerating distribution.

According to the plan, said Arief, as many as 30,000 tons of which will be distributed to the Greater Jakarta area. While the rest to Semarang and Cilacap, Central Java.

Previously, our secretary general had 56,000 tons from New Orleans. We have to distribute this quickly. Here at around 30,000 tons of charge. Later, the rest will be shifted to Semarang and then to Cilacap," Arief told reporters in Cilegon, Banten, Sunday, January 15.

Furthermore, Arief said, this soybean was purchased at a price of IDR 12,000 per kilogram (kg). However, the government provides subsidies of IDR 1,000 for tofu and tempe craftsmen, so that the price becomes IDR 11,000 per kg.

"Now the price is Rp. 12,000 soybeans. Friends said it was Rp. 11,000 in the future because it had been harvested there," he said.

On the same occasion, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan admitted that in the last three months the price of soybeans in the country had increased. Therefore, the entry of these imports can reduce soybean prices at the level of craftsmen by up to Rp. 12,000 per kg.

56,000 tons of soybeans. We have been meeting for several months with Kopti for 3 months, this is indeed expensive. This is a complaint from tofu and tempeh entrepreneurs from Rp. 11,000 and continues to rise, even up to Rp. 15,000. Next week the soybeans are already Rp. 12,000. God willing, "said Zulhas.