RI'S SOYBEAN PRODUCTION ESTIMATED TO REACH 850,230 TONS

Jakarta, March 2 (ANTARA) - Indonesia's dried soybean production is estimated to reach 850,230 tons this year, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said.

"It rose by 73,740 tons from the 2008 production according to temporary figures," BPS Chief Rusman Heriawan said here on Monday.

He said the rise was 9.5 percent from the previous year's production, caused by increasing harvests that reached 46,200 hectares of land or 7.81 percent and also productivity that rose by 0.2 quintals per hectare or 1.52 percent.

He said the production rise was expected in several regions mainly Aceh, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Banten, South Sumatra and Lampung.

He said according to initial figures dried soybean production in 2008 reached 776,490 tons.

Compared to that of 2007 the production in 2008 rose by 183,960 tons or 31.05 percent. The hike in production was attributed to increasing fields for harvest covering 132,780 hectares or 28.92 percent.

The increasing harvests also made productivity to rise by 0.21 quintals per hectare or 1.63 percent.

The rise in soybean production occured in Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Java, Aceh, West Java, South Sulawesi and North Sumatra.