Akindo Supports Commitment to Import 3.5 Million Tonnes of US Soybeans Through ART Agreement
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Chairman of the Indonesian Soybean Association (Akindo), Hidayatullah Suralaga, stated that his organisation generally supports the government’s efforts to strengthen trade cooperation with the United States through the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART).
One of the key points in the agreement is the strengthening of Indonesia’s commitment to import 3.5 million tonnes of US soybeans per year for a period of five years.
“The commitment to purchase soybeans is part of an effort to guarantee the certainty of the national soybean supply and maintain the smooth distribution,” said Hidayatullah Suralaga in a statement to the media in Jakarta, Thursday (26/2/2026).
Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia’s total soybean imports in 2025 reached approximately 2.56 million tonnes, with about 90 percent of them coming from the United States.
Hidayat said that the current national soybean needs are in the range of 2.7–2.9 million tonnes per year. With the commitment to supply up to 3.5 million tonnes per year, he believes there is room to increase soybean consumption to meet the protein needs of the community.
Akindo believes that the additional supply can be optimally absorbed, including to support the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
In addition, this commitment is also seen as opening up opportunities to strengthen the downstream industry and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in increasing production capacity, competitiveness, and encouraging the expansion of export markets through the development of processed soybean products such as tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, and its derivatives.
“This commitment can strengthen the national soybean industry ecosystem. With a more guaranteed supply, business actors have the certainty to invest, increase production capacity, and create jobs,” he said.
On the other hand, Akindo hopes that the trade agreement with the United States will not disrupt the existing cooperative relationships between private importers and soybean suppliers from other countries. This cooperation is also expected to remain in line with the program to increase domestic soybean production to support the target of food self-sufficiency.