http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/08/06/imo-view-tempeh-from-abundance-zero.html
Two weeks ago, as I was buying groceries in my neighbor’s home stall, I was surprised to get a very small chunk of tempe for Rp. 2,000.-. Usually, with such a price, I could get large piece. Then, yesterday when I stopped by at the traditional market in the Depok Baru station, I could not find any tempe or tofu at all. Tempe and tahu are always available in my dining table since I was a kid. They have always been actually part of our main serving alongside with rice in my family for generations. The food is exceptionally cheap and nutritious, being a substantial source of protein. Thus, it is affordable by any household, and the majority of Indonesians always craved for tempe at all times. Wherever you go in Indonesia, you will always be able to find some variety of tempe with its distinctively nutty taste and nougat-like texture whether in its plain-fried, mendoan, tempe bacem, or sambal tumpang. There is also, among others, tempe gembus, which is made from the sediment left over from the tofu-making process, and tempe benguk, made from the benguk bean. However, the most popular and well known tempe is made from soybean. As for my parents and the older generation before them, they consume tempe and tahu to provide cheap qualified nutrition suitable with their meager income. And they were abundant during that time, having been a staple in Indonesia for over 2000 years.
However, nowadays tempe and tahu become rare commodity. If there are any, the price is rising sharply or the amount is being reduced into smaller hunks. Accordingly, I called my relatives who have been small tofu and tempe-producers since 1970s in Mampang, South Jakarta to ask their situation. They said the price of soybeans as the raw material for the products has skyrocketed in recent months, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. It has increased to Rp 7,900 (80 cents) a kilogram, a substantial increase from March, when it was Rp 5,500 a kilogram, and the Rp 6,700 at the end of June. Now, the price has reached Rp. 8,000. With such price, they could hardly gain any profit at all. They have been halting their products, and waiting for price reduction as instructed by the chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti). They hoped their outcries would be heard and the government could tackle the issue immediately. It was a great loss having no opportunity to raise production during approaching Idul Fitri. It is also a threat to loyal consumers like me and most families in Indonesia who enjoy the delicious and cheap traditional food. It means tempe or tahu is no longer abundant or affordable.
The current spike on the soybeans is triggered by a drop in production in the US which is the main supplier of soybeans for Indonesian to make items such as tempe and bread. Drought in the United States has sent prices for wheat and soybeans soaring. The soaring prices were also attributable to adverse weather in Brazil and Argentina, which were among the world’s largest soybean producers. As a result, the price of raw material imported by companies in Indonesia has risen sharply since Indonesia largely depended on imported soybeans for food production. It is an irony while Indonesia is renowned for its fertile agriculture, but many agricultural products are being imported. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the country imported 17.6 million tons of seven main commodities — rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar, milk and beef — last year, for a total value of $9.4 billion. It exported 250,000 tons of the commodities, valued at $150,000. Indonesians consumed 2.2 million tons of soybeans per year, but the country was only able to produce 700,000 tons per year. Thus, the country needed at least 1 million tons of imported soybeans. To reduce such dependency remains as enormous tasks for the government to solve. So far, the government is still catching its breath in safeguarding the national food security. If no incentives whatsoever offered to soybeans farmers, then such problem will keep recurring because the nation will remain largely depended on imported products.
A few days ago, Metro TV has broadcasted a dialogue attended by Agriculture Minister Suswono; chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), Suharto, and an agricultural economist at the Institute for Development of Economy and Finance, Bustanul Arifin; discussing the shortage and skyrocketing price of the products. The chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), said the price of soybeans had increased 35 percent this year, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. He asked the government to interfere in stabilizing the price. He also stressed the importance for Kopti to import soybeans on their own, in contrast to importing them through third parties, a factor contributing to the high prices. Meanwhile, the minister said that the soybean production decline constantly because the price of the the product wasn’t not encouraging farmers to keep on producing. Thus, the rise the product’s price was indirectly perceived as a blessing in disguise for the local producers. It was deemed as incentive for the planters to grow the product if the price was fair and promising profit. Second problem was the fact that the cultivated land to grow for the products was declining. It would be difficult for Indonesia to increase domestic soybean production, as the country only had 600,000 hectares of soybean farms in contrast to the 1.5 million hectares needed. Combined, the two problems stand as the major hindrance to achieve domestic soybeans productivity. As a result, price stability will be greatly affected by the imprted products. However, he promised to closely coordinate with related departments to increase the land for planting the soybeans and stabilized the price so that both consumers and producers would have a win-win solution. Further, he said his department was still reviewing to put Bulog as means to maintain food security. Bustanul said the government had failed to show the same commitment to boosting production as it did for rice. He suggested reviving the role of BULOG in safeguarding the price stability for main agricultural products including soybeans. Further, he emphasized the role of government to provide incentives to farmers as well as to develop developed researches on agricultural products particularly soybeans. Such research could invent products profitable and suitable for Indonesia's land nature. Thus, it could in return boost the production and quality of the products.
So far, the Indonesian government has decided to remove its 5 percent import tax on soybeans in response as announced by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa on Wednesday after a meeting on the issue at his office in Jakarta. The tariff’s removal would be temporary, until soybean prices returned to normal. The policy was taken in the hope of sellers would immediately lower the prices and not take excessive profits. And last Friday, the Jakarta’s Cooperatives Agency and the Confederation of Indonesian Tofu and Tempe Producers Cooperative (Primkopti) have reached an agreement on the skyrocketing price of soybeans. Thus, tempe and tahu will be back at our plates again starting by Saturday when the soybean-based products producers were expected to be back on production again.
Safeguarding the national food security is an arduous task that needs to be addressed seriously. With the constantly declining production, it is important to create incentives and supporting regulations that guarantee the stabilization of such important commodities. As a loyal consumer, I am glad if tahu and tempe will be back at market again. It means I can keep enjoying the delectable food, and save some money to provide protein. Afterall tahu and tempe is considered as 'makanan rakyat' for generations :-). And so glad, last Sunday, tofu and tempe were already available on my dining plates
Two weeks ago, as I was buying groceries in my neighbor’s home stall, I was surprised to get a very small chunk of tempe for Rp. 2,000.-. Usually, with such a price, I could get large piece. Then, yesterday when I stopped by at the traditional market in the Depok Baru station, I could not find any tempe or tofu at all. Tempe and tahu are always available in my dining table since I was a kid. They have always been actually part of our main serving alongside with rice in my family for generations. The food is exceptionally cheap and nutritious, being a substantial source of protein. Thus, it is affordable by any household, and the majority of Indonesians always craved for tempe at all times. Wherever you go in Indonesia, you will always be able to find some variety of tempe with its distinctively nutty taste and nougat-like texture whether in its plain-fried, mendoan, tempe bacem, or sambal tumpang. There is also, among others, tempe gembus, which is made from the sediment left over from the tofu-making process, and tempe benguk, made from the benguk bean. However, the most popular and well known tempe is made from soybean. As for my parents and the older generation before them, they consume tempe and tahu to provide cheap qualified nutrition suitable with their meager income. And they were abundant during that time, having been a staple in Indonesia for over 2000 years.
However, nowadays tempe and tahu become rare commodity. If there are any, the price is rising sharply or the amount is being reduced into smaller hunks. Accordingly, I called my relatives who have been small tofu and tempe-producers since 1970s in Mampang, South Jakarta to ask their situation. They said the price of soybeans as the raw material for the products has skyrocketed in recent months, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. It has increased to Rp 7,900 (80 cents) a kilogram, a substantial increase from March, when it was Rp 5,500 a kilogram, and the Rp 6,700 at the end of June. Now, the price has reached Rp. 8,000. With such price, they could hardly gain any profit at all. They have been halting their products, and waiting for price reduction as instructed by the chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti). They hoped their outcries would be heard and the government could tackle the issue immediately. It was a great loss having no opportunity to raise production during approaching Idul Fitri. It is also a threat to loyal consumers like me and most families in Indonesia who enjoy the delicious and cheap traditional food. It means tempe or tahu is no longer abundant or affordable.
The current spike on the soybeans is triggered by a drop in production in the US which is the main supplier of soybeans for Indonesian to make items such as tempe and bread. Drought in the United States has sent prices for wheat and soybeans soaring. The soaring prices were also attributable to adverse weather in Brazil and Argentina, which were among the world’s largest soybean producers. As a result, the price of raw material imported by companies in Indonesia has risen sharply since Indonesia largely depended on imported soybeans for food production. It is an irony while Indonesia is renowned for its fertile agriculture, but many agricultural products are being imported. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the country imported 17.6 million tons of seven main commodities — rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar, milk and beef — last year, for a total value of $9.4 billion. It exported 250,000 tons of the commodities, valued at $150,000. Indonesians consumed 2.2 million tons of soybeans per year, but the country was only able to produce 700,000 tons per year. Thus, the country needed at least 1 million tons of imported soybeans. To reduce such dependency remains as enormous tasks for the government to solve. So far, the government is still catching its breath in safeguarding the national food security. If no incentives whatsoever offered to soybeans farmers, then such problem will keep recurring because the nation will remain largely depended on imported products.
A few days ago, Metro TV has broadcasted a dialogue attended by Agriculture Minister Suswono; chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), Suharto, and an agricultural economist at the Institute for Development of Economy and Finance, Bustanul Arifin; discussing the shortage and skyrocketing price of the products. The chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), said the price of soybeans had increased 35 percent this year, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. He asked the government to interfere in stabilizing the price. He also stressed the importance for Kopti to import soybeans on their own, in contrast to importing them through third parties, a factor contributing to the high prices. Meanwhile, the minister said that the soybean production decline constantly because the price of the the product wasn’t not encouraging farmers to keep on producing. Thus, the rise the product’s price was indirectly perceived as a blessing in disguise for the local producers. It was deemed as incentive for the planters to grow the product if the price was fair and promising profit. Second problem was the fact that the cultivated land to grow for the products was declining. It would be difficult for Indonesia to increase domestic soybean production, as the country only had 600,000 hectares of soybean farms in contrast to the 1.5 million hectares needed. Combined, the two problems stand as the major hindrance to achieve domestic soybeans productivity. As a result, price stability will be greatly affected by the imprted products. However, he promised to closely coordinate with related departments to increase the land for planting the soybeans and stabilized the price so that both consumers and producers would have a win-win solution. Further, he said his department was still reviewing to put Bulog as means to maintain food security. Bustanul said the government had failed to show the same commitment to boosting production as it did for rice. He suggested reviving the role of BULOG in safeguarding the price stability for main agricultural products including soybeans. Further, he emphasized the role of government to provide incentives to farmers as well as to develop developed researches on agricultural products particularly soybeans. Such research could invent products profitable and suitable for Indonesia's land nature. Thus, it could in return boost the production and quality of the products.
So far, the Indonesian government has decided to remove its 5 percent import tax on soybeans in response as announced by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa on Wednesday after a meeting on the issue at his office in Jakarta. The tariff’s removal would be temporary, until soybean prices returned to normal. The policy was taken in the hope of sellers would immediately lower the prices and not take excessive profits. And last Friday, the Jakarta’s Cooperatives Agency and the Confederation of Indonesian Tofu and Tempe Producers Cooperative (Primkopti) have reached an agreement on the skyrocketing price of soybeans. Thus, tempe and tahu will be back at our plates again starting by Saturday when the soybean-based products producers were expected to be back on production again.
Safeguarding the national food security is an arduous task that needs to be addressed seriously. With the constantly declining production, it is important to create incentives and supporting regulations that guarantee the stabilization of such important commodities. As a loyal consumer, I am glad if tahu and tempe will be back at market again. It means I can keep enjoying the delectable food, and save some money to provide protein. Afterall tahu and tempe is considered as 'makanan rakyat' for generations :-). And so glad, last Sunday, tofu and tempe were already available on my dining plates
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