Amran Threatens to Revoke Permits if Importers Raise Soybean Prices

Minister of Agriculture and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Amran Sulaiman, has firmly stated he will not hesitate to revoke business permits if any entrepreneur raises the price of imported soybeans. ‘If they raise it, I will revoke their licence and not grant them any more import recommendations, as the authority lies with the Ministry of Agriculture,’ Amran said in Jakarta on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, as reported by Antara. The government has called for soybean prices to remain stable to ensure the continuity of tofu and tempeh artisan businesses, particularly regarding import supplies, and has reminded importers not to raise prices arbitrarily. ‘For soybean importers especially, we ask businesspeople, please do not raise prices arbitrarily. Why? You have been profiting for decades,’ Amran stated. He confirmed there would be an investigation into soybean importers if tofu and tempeh artisans are severely impacted. Consequently, the option of raising prices must not be implemented. According to information from the Indonesian Tempeh Tofu Producers Cooperative Union (Gakoptindo), the national average soybean price at the artisan level as of 8 June was Rp11,126 per kilogram. In Java, the average price stood at Rp10,868 per kg, though the highest average price reached Rp11,100 per kg. The government’s price ceiling, set as the Sales Reference Price (HAP), is a maximum of Rp11,500 per kg at the importer level and must not exceed Rp12,000 per kg at the consumer or artisan level. In a previous soybean discussion meeting held by Bapanas last Monday evening, Gakoptindo reported that the rise in imported soybean prices was still relatively manageable. The range of the increase at that time was still lower than the price conditions experienced in 2022. Soybean prices arriving at tofu and tempeh artisans still ranged from Rp10,000 to Rp11,000 per kg. Regarding soybean availability, the importers’ association reported that current stock levels in June 2026 amount to 450,000 tonnes, a position described as still quite safe for meeting national demand. Importers have committed to maintaining a conducive price environment without significant surges to safeguard the stabilisation of national soybean supply and prices.