REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MALANG - Indonesian dependence on imported soybean is very high, so that Vice presidential candidate, Jusuf Kalla plans to reduce soybean imports by increasing domestic supply through plant cultivating. He said that local soybean was more delicious, but the number was very limited.

The availability of local soybeans is only for a maximum of six months, while the rest is imported.

"We need more efforts to reduce this dependence. Productive areas for soybean and its development must be pursued," Kalla said in Malang recently.

According to him, majority areas in Java are already used as agricultural areas. It cannot be developed as soybean farming to meet domestic demand. Kalla pledged to seriously address this problem because Indonesian people were already familiar with soybeans as raw material of tofu and tempeh industry.

"Beside land availability for soybean, we also notice the technology to increase agricultural productivity. Without the technology, it will be difficult to achieve production target," Kalla added.

Soybean cooperative manager, Muhammad Isman explained that he did not expect domestic soybean production because raw material availibility was very limited.

"Like or dislike,we must rely on imported soybeans. For example, I have to supply 6-7 tonnes of soybeans per day for tofu and tempeh industry. This is a large number," Isman said.

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