Soybean Imported Due To Local Production Problem: Minister

Palembang, South Sumatra, Sept 11 (Antara) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister Suswono said the government was forced to import soybeans due to the local production that is experiencing constraints from the low farmer`s interest of the commodity, here Wednesday. The local soybean production is currently only around 30 percent and the price of the commodity is low during a few years ago, he said. "In fact, it costs less to import so that farmers are not interested," he said. However, the current high soybeans price has made a serious problem for tofu and tempe (soybean cake) makers, as they need the soybeans raw materials. Under these conditions the farmers are no longer interested to grow soybeans and the plantation land are also decreasing from 1.6 million hectares to only 700 thousand hectares now. Suswono said that the farmers now are less interested in growing soybeans and it is only the last option for the community. In fact, in some areas farmers only grow soybeans not as their major crops. In 1992 Indonesia had its moments of soybean self-sufficiency and the commodity`s selling price is more than the price of rice as the main food source. The skyrocketing soybean price in the international market and the Rupiah`s current depreciation should be enough to encourage farmers to grow more soybeans. But to grow soybean would need some time from the planting until harvest, besides expansion of the plantation land would also be needed in order to meet the domestic demand. Currently, the government is importing soybeans in overcoming the shortage of soybean in the country The minister also expected that the soybeans importer not to take advantage of the current situation by not taking too much profit of the commodity.