Kopti Cianjur Records More Controlled Soybean Price Increases

The Indonesian Tofu and Tempeh Artisans Cooperative (Kopti) of Cianjur Regency, West Java, has noted that the increase in soybean prices is more controlled compared to previous periods, when prices surged due to the weakening of the Rupiah against the US Dollar.

Speaking in Cianjur on Sunday, the Chairman of Kopti Cianjur, Hugo Siswaya, stated that since the Rupiah’s depreciation, the price of soybean raw materials has been steadily climbing, placing a burden on businesses in Cianjur as operational costs swell. He assessed that while the current price increases are gradual rather than skyrocketing, the impact remains heavy for approximately 300 tofu and tempeh entrepreneurs in Cianjur, leading to calls for government intervention to stabilise prices.

“Although the increase is more controlled than before, it still impacts tofu and tempeh entrepreneurs in Cianjur. We hope the government intervenes as soon as possible to stabilise soybean prices in the market,” he said. He explained that various efforts are being made by business owners to suppress rising operational costs, with some even choosing to halt production due to losses.

He revealed that around 50 tofu entrepreneurs have temporarily stopped production because they can no longer afford raw materials, while others are persevering by reducing the size of their products or scaling down production.

Taufik Munandar, a tofu factory owner in the Cianjur District, noted that the weakening Rupiah has impacted imported soybeans, which are dependent on currency exchange rates, with the price of one kilogram of soybeans reaching Rp10,500. The continuous rise in soybean prices has increased production costs while sales figures continue to decline, a condition that has forced his factory to halt production for the past two months due to ongoing losses.

“Usually, we can process 100 to 200 kilograms of soybeans into tofu or tempeh daily, involving 14 workers. However, since soybean prices have been creeping up, operational costs have ballooned while revenue has decreased,” he said. He and hundreds of other tofu and tempeh entrepreneurs in Cianjur hope the government can immediately assist in stabilising market soybean prices so that businesses can resume production.