JP\/19\/SOYBN1<\/p>\n
Aussies bid to get a slice of the tempe market<\/p>\n
Duncan Graham
\nContributor\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
Next time you sit down to a plate of nutritious tempe or tofu you
\ncould be digesting food from Down Under.<\/p>\n
Australian farmers are making a vigorous bid to supply the raw
\nproduct for Indonesia's premier health foods. These are made from
\nfermented soybeans and enjoyed across Java and other islands as a
\nsnack or the main course.<\/p>\n
Three sugarcane growers from Queensland have sent 22 tonnes of
\nbeans to Jakarta as a trial shipment. These are being rebagged
\nand distributed to tempe manufacturers in West and East Java to
\nsee how the beans compare with those currently used to make the
\nfamous food.<\/p>\n
The three farmers -- Murray Cannavan, Alfio Musumeci and
\nAndrew Lashmar - have been growing soybeans for many years, but
\nas a nutrient for their sugarcane during fallow periods in the
\nproduction cycle.<\/p>\n
When the soybean plants are almost mature they are plowed into
\nthe ground as green fertilizer. Any beans harvested have been
\nsold for stock food. Now the men think it may be a smarter idea
\nto grow soybeans as a cash crop and export these to Indonesia for
\nhuman consumption.<\/p>\n
To learn more about tempe and the market the three men spent a
\nweek in Jakarta and Surabaya talking to manufacturers and
\ntraders.<\/p>\n
Soybeans are indigenous to China and have long been a part of
\nthat country's diet. The bean appeared in Japan about 1,000
\nyears ago but didn't get to Europe until the 17th century.<\/p>\n
Soybeans are now widely used in Western cooking where soymilk
\nand other bean products, including cake, oil and flour, are
\npromoted in the health food industry. Vegetarians find soybeans
\nare a good meat substitute, high in calcium. Soy sauce has a
\nplace on most kitchen shelves.<\/p>\n
Tempe is believed to be an Indonesian invention and has long
\nbeen a home industry in specific areas. Malang, in central East
\nJava, claims to produce the tastiest product. The town is also
\nfamous for its kripik tempe, a crispy cracker made by deep-frying
\nthin slices of fresh tempe in a batter of secret ingredients (see
\nsidebar.)<\/p>\n
Although Indonesian farmers produce soybeans, most tempe
\nmanufacturers prefer to use beans from America. These have a
\nreputation for being bigger, cleaner and with higher protein.<\/p>\n
This is the market the Australians want to enter, arguing that
\ntheir field-fresh beans can be speedily supplied at a competitive
\nprice from the country next door rather than hauled from the
\nother side of the world.<\/p>\n
The Australian farmers said Indonesia uses more than one
\nmillion tons of soybeans a year, but can produce only one-tenth
\nof its needs.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is that although soybeans are quoted at a world
\nprice, U.S. growers are heavily subsidized by their government,
\nwhile we get no support,\" said Cannavan.<\/p>\n
\"We have no illusions about the forces we are up against, but
\nwe can deliver a premium product to the customer's
\nspecifications. We know how to harvest quality beans and can
\noffer new varieties.\"<\/p>\n
Cannavan and his colleagues each grow less than 200 hectares
\nof sugarcane and are principally family farmers. Their properties
\nare in the Burdekin region, a sub-tropical zone 100 kilometers
\nsouth of Townsville, an export port on the Queensland coast close
\nto Papua New Guinea.<\/p>\n
\"This is the largest sugarcane growing region in Australia,
\nbut sugar has suffered from some enormous fluctuations in the
\nworld price so growers need to support their incomes through
\nother crops,\" said Lashmar.<\/p>\n
\"The Burdekin is a fully-irrigated and agriculturally stable
\narea with about 300 days of sunshine every year. The year-round
\nclimate is suitable for cropping. Apart from sugar and soybeans
\nwe also grow other legumes and sunflowers, a source for cooking
\noil.\"<\/p>\n
Even though Australia wants to export soybeans it still needs
\nto import 300,000 tonnes a year. These beans are mainly used as
\nthe basis for poultry, pig and dairy-cattle food where the
\nanimals are intensively farmed.<\/p>\n
Some top quality Australian soybeans are exported to Japan.<\/p>\n
Although Australian farmers don't get subsidized like their
\nAmerican counterparts, they are getting government help. In their
\nbid to penetrate the Indonesian market two Queensland government
\nofficials -- agricultural scientist Stephen Sinclair and trade
\nexpert Rob Wardrobe who is based in Jakarta accompanied the
\n\"Messrs Beans\".<\/p>\n
The team wanted to bring some beans with them to show off to
\ntempe manufacturers and decided to mail these ahead to the
\nAustralian Embassy. However, the package vanished in the post so
\nthe growers have had to tour empty-handed and a little red-faced.<\/p>\n
(Pix: The mould to make tempe; making tempe in Malang; Mr Beans
\n- from left Alfio Musumeci, Stephen Sinclair, Murray Cannavan,
\nAndrew Lashmar and Rob Wardrobe.<\/p>\n
##<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp19soybn1-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }