L

ast Sunday, as I was buying groceries at my neighbor’s home stall, I was surprised to get a very small piece of tempeh for Rp. 2,000. Usually, I would be able to buy a larger piece for that price. Later, when I stopped by at the traditional market at Depok Baru station, I could not find any tempeh or tofu.

Since I was a child, tempeh and tofu have always been available on the dining table. They have always been the main part of my family’s meal for generations, alongside rice. The food is exceptionally cheap and nutritious.

Thus, it is affordable for any household, and has been a staple for many Indonesian families for over 2,000 years. Wherever you go in Indonesia, you will always be able to find some variety of tempeh, with its distinctively nutty taste and nougat-like texture, whether plain-fried, mendoan, tempeh bacem, or sambal tumpang.

However, nowadays tempeh and tofu are becoming a rare commodity. If there is some available, the price rises sharply, or the sizes are decreasing. Accordingly, I called my relatives who have been small tofu and tempeh producers in Mampang, South Jakarta, since the 1970s, to ask about their situation.

They said the price of soybeans has skyrocketed in recent months, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. It has increased to Rp 7,900 (80 US cents) per kilogram, a substantial increase from March, when it was Rp 5,500 per kilogram

Now, the price has reached Rp 8,000 (some 90 cent US dollar) per kilogram. With such prices, they could hardly make any profits. They have stopped producing their products, and are waiting for a reduction in price, as instructed by the chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempeh and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti).

They hope their outcries will be heard and the government could tackle the issue immediately. It was a great loss having no opportunity to increase production during the approaching Idul Fitri holiday. It is also a threat to loyal consumers like me, and most families in Indonesia who enjoy the delicious and cheap traditional food. It means tempeh or tofu is no longer abundant and affordable. he current spike on soybeans has been triggered by a drop in production in the US, which is the main supplier of soybeans for Indonesia.

It is an irony that Indonesia is renowned for its fertile agriculture, but many agricultural products are being imported.

Herlina
Jakarta