Soybean prices rise, public urged to adjust food needs

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the Jakarta Food Security, Maritime, and Agriculture Agency (KPKP), Hasudungan Sidabalok, has asked the public to adjust their food needs following the rise in soybean prices. He stated that currently, the soybean commodity in Jakarta is almost entirely an imported product. “A small portion comes from local producer regions such as East Java, Central Java, and West Java,” Hasudungan said in Jakarta on Thursday. The soybean commodity in Jakarta is widely used by tofu and tempeh artisans under the Indonesian Tofu Tempeh Producers Cooperative Centre (PUSKOPTI) in Jakarta, which is also part of the Indonesian Tofu Tempeh Producers Cooperative Union (GAKOPTINDO). Hasudungan explained that the rise in soybean prices is due to global dynamics related to turmoil in the largest soybean exporting country, the United States, and the depreciating value of the rupiah. Furthermore, he said that based on field monitoring by the enumerator team and agricultural statistics officers of Jakarta, the rise in soybean prices began to emerge since Ramadan in February 2026. According to Hasudungan, this situation continues to experience fluctuations to this day. Therefore, he advised the public to adjust their food consumption needs following the increase in soybean prices in the market. “To minimise the impact of the soybean price rise, we urge the public to adjust their food consumption needs with other food commodities that have balanced nutritional value but at more affordable prices (food diversification),” Hasudungan said. In addition, Hasudungan stated that the public can also engage in urban farming to address the price increase. This is an effort to enhance family food security independently in their respective homes.