"So far, we are still very dependent on imports, therefore, in the last two years, we have taken maximum steps," he said on the sidelines of his inspection of PT Putra Permata Pasifik's soybean seed processing factory in Sukoharjo district, Central Java, on Friday.
However, in an effort to increase soybean productivity, a supplier is needed by the industry, he added.
"The problem is that soybean production per hectare in tonnage is lower than corn, with the same production cost. We must continue to lower the production cost in order to reach a bigger margin. We must also ensure the availability of suppliers," Limpo said.
With this effort, it is hoped that the soybean commodity ecosystem in Indonesia will improve, he added.
"With efforts to increase the seed quality and the pricing, we hope we can achieve higher soybean production," he continued.
Meanwhile, the PPIC manager at PT Putra Permata Pasifik, Devi Setiabakti, said that currently, the company has a production capacity of 2 tons of soybeans per hour.
"In one day, we can produce 15 tons. If we have more resources, we can increase it to 25 tons per day," she informed.
She said that soybean processing starts with buying soybeans from farmers and checking the tonnage and water percentage. Then, the soybeans are dried and sorted. In this process, there is usually a weight loss of about 15 percent.
"One ton of seeds can turn into 800 kilograms after the drying process. Then, they will be registered with BPSP (Seed Monitoring and Certification Center) as the official seed certifying institution. After the new label is issued, we distribute it to farmers, both through the free market and government programs," she informed.
Setiabakti said that soybeans of the best quality would be used as seeds to help farmers achieve optimal harvest results.
"Hopefully, we can support the soybean development program in Indonesia by providing the seeds that we have. We are also trying to buy soybeans at prices above market prices," she added.
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Translator: Aris Wasita, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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