Agriculture Minister Threatens to Revoke Soybean Importers' Licences for Excessive Price Hikes

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has threatened to revoke the import licences of soybean importers who raise prices excessively. He emphasised that the government will not tolerate speculative practices that disadvantage the public. The government, according to him, is continuously monitoring price movements of strategic commodities, including soybeans, to maintain national food stability and affordability. “I asked yesterday for soybeans, don’t raise them too much,” said Amran when meeting with the media at the Ministry of Agriculture’s Central Office in Jakarta on Wednesday (15/4/2026). He stressed that business actors still have room to gain profits. However, price increases must be reasonable and not burden consumers. In the current fluctuating economic conditions, the government is encouraging business actors to maintain a balance between profits and social responsibility. “If with soybeans, if they want to raise them arbitrarily, those importing soybeans, I assure you I will revoke their licences,” Amran stated. He explained that licensing instruments are one of the control tools that the government will use to maintain price stability in the market. This step is part of the government’s efforts to ensure that the distribution and trade of food commodities run healthily without hoarding practices or price manipulation. Amran also touched on strengthening the food sector through policy improvements and budget efficiency. Budget refocusing is directed towards productive sectors such as irrigation, seeds, and pompanisation to increase production. National production, he continued, shows an increasing trend. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) record an increase in production of up to around 4 million tons. This condition is reflected in the increase in national rice stocks at Perum Bulog, which now reaches around 4.8 million tons and is approaching 5 million tons. Amran assessed that strong food availability must be accompanied by price stability at the consumer level. The government is striving to maintain a balance between the interests of producers, business actors, and the public. He emphasised that the state must be present to ensure that market mechanisms run fairly and do not disadvantage any party. Price stability is key to maintaining purchasing power while encouraging the sustainability of national food production.