Soybean Cake Producers Treaten to Stop Production

Cirebon (Antara Bali) - Producers of soybean cake (tempe) and tofu (tahu) threaten to stop operation as they have continued to suffer losses on rising price of soybean.

The price of imported soybean has soared lately mainly because of the falling value of rupiah against the US dollar.

Rupiah has lost much of its value currently trading at more than 11,000 per dollar from around 9,500 normally a few months earlier.

"Producers of tempe and tahu in the regency of Cirebon, West Java, might have to stop operation as they  could not stand to continue losing," Tarsono , a local producer, said here on Saturday.  
    
Tarsono said currently the producers continue operation only to meet their commitments to their customers although they have to suffer losses.

He said the producers were forced to cut production  and laid off some of their workers hoping that the condition would be normal soon , but the price of the basic material remain high even climbing higher.

The government seemed to show no concern for their problem after similar condition with the prices of soybean soaring several months earlier, he said.

The producers may not have any way but to stop producing tahu and tempe, which are popular foods  especially among low income people in the country.  
    
Indonesia has remained dependence on imports for most of its soybean requirement although the government has repeatedly rolled over self sufficiency deadlines for the food commodity. (*/DWA)