US: Indonesia is the Largest Soybean Importer

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Robert O' Blake, US ambassador for Indonesia, said that 90 percent of soybeans used for tempeh and tofu raw materials are imported from the US.

"Indonesia has the largest soybean market share and in 2013, the US agricultural exports to Indonesia reached US$4.8 billion," said Robert when visiting Rumah Tempe Indonesia (Indonesian House ofTempeh) in Bogor on Tuesday.

On that occasion, Robert said that soybeans from the US are save for consumption. "This the first time I tasted tempeh in the forms of ice cream, tiramisu and kebab. So far, I only know tempe bacem (sweet tempeh) and fried tempeh," he said. According to Robert, soybean export for Asia region, especially Indonesia is crucial because it can forge closer ties between countries.

The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency chief Roy Sparringa said tempeh producers have to change their traditional way in processing tempeh. "Around 95 percent of tempeh productions in Indonesia are not hygienic because the producers have low education," said Roy. More than 100,000 tempeh producers in Indonesia still produce tempeh in their houses.

One of the indicators that it is not hygienic can be seen from the water used to wash soybeans. Another is the vessel to soak the soybeans which is made of used barrel. "Even the tempeh packaging is not hygienic," he said.

The Indonesian Tempeh Forum chair Made Astawan said Indonesia is the world's largest tempeh producer and Asia's largest soybean market. "About 80 percent of national soybeans are processed into tempeh," he said.

M SIDIK PERMANA