Reviving Indonesia's self-reliance in soybean production

Jakarta (ANTARA) - At the beginning of 2021, residents of the Greater Jakarta Area, including Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, found it hard to find tempe, a fermented product made from soybean, or tofu in their regular markets or bodegas . The two commodities had suddenly become rare items, hunted down by families, who consume them as staples. Strikes carried out by producers of tofu and tempeh, which were prompted by a spike in the price of imported soy, were then discovered to be the cause of their disappearance from market shelves. The price of imported soy, the main ingredient in both commodities, had shot up from around seven thousand Indonesian rupiahs to around Rp9 thousand per kilogram, which was deemed a burden on the tempe and tofu industry. Related news: Tofu, tempe record inflation amid soybean price hike: BPS Tempe and tofu are often labeled as the food of the people as they are staples in middle- to lower-class households, which predominate in Indonesia. ...