ID :
72925
Thu, 07/30/2009 - 14:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/72925
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ABOUT 90 PCT OF SOYBEAN NEED STILL IMPORTED
Jakarta, July 29 (ANTARA) - Indonesia still imports about 90 percent of its soybean need from the United States, Canada and Brazil, Chairman of the Indonesian Soybean Council Benny A Kusbini said.
"Farmers in Indonesia are not encouraged to develop soybean plantation because the price of soybean for farmers is not attractive," Benny A Kusbini said in a symposium on maize and soybean on Wednesday.
He said that a number of soybean importers did like Indonesia to become a self-reliant soybean producer because it could disturb their soybean business.
"This is a matter of business. As far as our economic condition remains as it is today producers at home would for ever face difficulties to meet the need for soybean at home," Benny said.
He said production at home would continue to decrease in line with the shrinking of land space for agricultural activities, while at the same time farmers at home planted soybean only as an alternating crop plantation.
"Other problems included infrastructure facilities and technology such as drying facilities. Our farmers only rely on the sun to dry their products," he said.
He said farmers in Jambi for example were not able to export their soybean crop because they had no ports. To carry out exports they have to do it through Jakarta.
In connection with the shrinking land space, he said in 1992 soybean plantations covered 1.6 million hectares with a production capacity of 1.8 million tons.
In 2001, the acreage dropped to 678,484 hectares with a production capacity of 826,932 tons. This year it dropped further to 638,103 hectares with a production capacity of about 850,226 tons.
"This can create a a threat because the need for soybean continues to increase in line with the population growth and the development of food, tofu, fermented soybean cake, milk and other food processing industries," Benny said.
"Farmers in Indonesia are not encouraged to develop soybean plantation because the price of soybean for farmers is not attractive," Benny A Kusbini said in a symposium on maize and soybean on Wednesday.
He said that a number of soybean importers did like Indonesia to become a self-reliant soybean producer because it could disturb their soybean business.
"This is a matter of business. As far as our economic condition remains as it is today producers at home would for ever face difficulties to meet the need for soybean at home," Benny said.
He said production at home would continue to decrease in line with the shrinking of land space for agricultural activities, while at the same time farmers at home planted soybean only as an alternating crop plantation.
"Other problems included infrastructure facilities and technology such as drying facilities. Our farmers only rely on the sun to dry their products," he said.
He said farmers in Jambi for example were not able to export their soybean crop because they had no ports. To carry out exports they have to do it through Jakarta.
In connection with the shrinking land space, he said in 1992 soybean plantations covered 1.6 million hectares with a production capacity of 1.8 million tons.
In 2001, the acreage dropped to 678,484 hectares with a production capacity of 826,932 tons. This year it dropped further to 638,103 hectares with a production capacity of about 850,226 tons.
"This can create a a threat because the need for soybean continues to increase in line with the population growth and the development of food, tofu, fermented soybean cake, milk and other food processing industries," Benny said.
