Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After the price of soybeans spiraled to all time highs this week, forcing vendors and producers of tofu and tempeh into strike action, traditional markets across the city were filled with enthusiastic customers Thursday as the product hit the stands again.
For three days soybeans, tempeh and tofu products had disappeared from markets and dishes, but with the government's promised reversal of their tariff, the product was on sale again, albeit with some price disparities.
Titik, a 52-year-old housewife, said tempeh and tofu were the first items she bought when she arrived at the Rawamangun traditional market in East Jakarta at around 7 a.m.
"We miss tofu and tempeh. I'm glad that they are now available again," she told The Jakarta Post.
She said the price of white tofu was Rp 2,000 (21 U.S. cents) per pack of five small pieces, which was the same as before, but a piece of medium-sized tempeh cost Rp 2,000, and increase of about 30 percent of the usual price.
Ati, a tofu vendor at Pejagalan traditional market in North Jakarta, said customers had packed her stall at around 4 a.m. and in just two-and-a-half hours she had sold all her stock.
"Usually even at 10 a.m. there is still some left," she said. "Now people know how it feels to lose tofu and tempeh."
She said there had been much enthusiasm around purchases of the soybean-based product and that she had sold more tofu than usual.
"Normally I can sell 900 or 1,000 pieces of white tofu, but today I prepared 1,300 pieces and all were sold out in just a short time," she said.
Despite the high demand on tofu, Ati said she and other tofu vendors at the market had not increased prices.
"We want to keep the price normal at least until next week, while we wait for the government to fulfill their promise to scrap the soybean import duty," she said.
Herman, a restaurateur, said all morning people had struggled to buy tofu and tempeh at Palmerah traditional market in Central Jakarta.
He said not many vendors were selling tofu and tempeh at the market because of the lack of supply from producers.
"Many customers decided to buy tofu and tempeh in large quantities, maybe they were afraid there would be no enough stock for tomorrow," he said.
Herman said a large-sized piece of tempeh cost him Rp 7,000, compared to Rp 5,000 for the same sized piece before the shortage.
"I really hope the government will do something to stabilize the price as tempeh and tofu have been part of our daily menu.
"I even believe that President SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) loves tempeh," he said.
Thousands of tofu and tempeh producers and vendors staged a three-day strike beginning Monday.
A rally outside the State Palace was also held Monday to demand the government lower soybean prices and discontinue the free trade policy that sees private companies to control the market.
The strike caused disappointment among customers and food sellers because soybean-based foods disappeared from menus.
Soybeans are mostly imported to Indonesia from the U.S. and prices have continued to increase, reaching almost 125 percent, since January last year, said Asep Hidayat, head of the Tangerang Tofu and Tempeh Communication Forum.
Asep said soybean prices were around Rp 3,300 per kilogram in January, but prices had recently hit Rp 7,400.
In attempts to curb soybean prices, the government on Monday decided to eliminate the 10 percent import duty on the commodity and said it would consider allowing more importers to supply the commodity.
After the price of soybeans spiraled to all time highs this week, forcing vendors and producers of tofu and tempeh into strike action, traditional markets across the city were filled with enthusiastic customers Thursday as the product hit the stands again.
For three days soybeans, tempeh and tofu products had disappeared from markets and dishes, but with the government's promised reversal of their tariff, the product was on sale again, albeit with some price disparities.
Titik, a 52-year-old housewife, said tempeh and tofu were the first items she bought when she arrived at the Rawamangun traditional market in East Jakarta at around 7 a.m.
"We miss tofu and tempeh. I'm glad that they are now available again," she told The Jakarta Post.
She said the price of white tofu was Rp 2,000 (21 U.S. cents) per pack of five small pieces, which was the same as before, but a piece of medium-sized tempeh cost Rp 2,000, and increase of about 30 percent of the usual price.
Ati, a tofu vendor at Pejagalan traditional market in North Jakarta, said customers had packed her stall at around 4 a.m. and in just two-and-a-half hours she had sold all her stock.
"Usually even at 10 a.m. there is still some left," she said. "Now people know how it feels to lose tofu and tempeh."
She said there had been much enthusiasm around purchases of the soybean-based product and that she had sold more tofu than usual.
"Normally I can sell 900 or 1,000 pieces of white tofu, but today I prepared 1,300 pieces and all were sold out in just a short time," she said.
Despite the high demand on tofu, Ati said she and other tofu vendors at the market had not increased prices.
"We want to keep the price normal at least until next week, while we wait for the government to fulfill their promise to scrap the soybean import duty," she said.
Herman, a restaurateur, said all morning people had struggled to buy tofu and tempeh at Palmerah traditional market in Central Jakarta.
He said not many vendors were selling tofu and tempeh at the market because of the lack of supply from producers.
"Many customers decided to buy tofu and tempeh in large quantities, maybe they were afraid there would be no enough stock for tomorrow," he said.
Herman said a large-sized piece of tempeh cost him Rp 7,000, compared to Rp 5,000 for the same sized piece before the shortage.
"I really hope the government will do something to stabilize the price as tempeh and tofu have been part of our daily menu.
"I even believe that President SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) loves tempeh," he said.
Thousands of tofu and tempeh producers and vendors staged a three-day strike beginning Monday.
A rally outside the State Palace was also held Monday to demand the government lower soybean prices and discontinue the free trade policy that sees private companies to control the market.
The strike caused disappointment among customers and food sellers because soybean-based foods disappeared from menus.
Soybeans are mostly imported to Indonesia from the U.S. and prices have continued to increase, reaching almost 125 percent, since January last year, said Asep Hidayat, head of the Tangerang Tofu and Tempeh Communication Forum.
Asep said soybean prices were around Rp 3,300 per kilogram in January, but prices had recently hit Rp 7,400.
In attempts to curb soybean prices, the government on Monday decided to eliminate the 10 percent import duty on the commodity and said it would consider allowing more importers to supply the commodity.