Present Status and Future Perspectives of Soybean
Production in Indonesia
Rudy SoehendiSouth Sumatera Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology
Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development
Corresponding author: Rudy Soehendi, Address: BPTP Sumsel, Jl.Kol.H. Barlian 83,
Km 6, Palembang- Sumatera Selatan, Indonesia, email: rsoehendi@gmail.coAbstract

In order to meet the demand in Indonesia for soybean and to increase national self-sufficiency, itneeds to be an increase in production area and productivity. Acceleration of technology disseminationis crucial, such as implementation of integrated crop management program in the soybean producing
areas in Indonesia as well as revitalization of the extension system. Improvement in the agricultural
supportive facilities and infrastructure, like opening new areas for soybean production and providing
facilities for processing would enhance the development of the domestic soybean industry. Soybean
breeding programs should give priorities to the development of new varieties that are drought tolerant
as well as tolerant to acid soil conditions, resistance to major insect pests (pod suckers, pod borers andleaf feeders) and diseases (rust and virus) and for good quality of seed.

Introduction

2004, an average reduction of 6% annually (Figure 1).

Soybean is the third most important food cropin Indonesia after rice and corn. Soybean has animportant role and strategic position in the cropping
system, and as food crop to improve nutrition forthe community because of its high protein content.
The demand for soybean has increased along withthe growth of population and food industry such asfermented soybean (tempe), soybean milk, tauco, andsnacks. Soybean consumption per capita in 1998 was
8.13 kg and increased to 8.97 kg in 2004. This shows
the need to increase soybean production.
Statistical data from FAO shows that fromthe period of 1990-1995, the harvested area ofsoybean increased from 1.33 million ha in 1990 to
1.48 million ha in 1995, an average increase of 2%
annually. Since 1995, the harvested area declined
from around 1.48 million ha to 0.83 million ha in
2000, or about 11% per year. In the period of 20002004, the total harvesting area is still declining byabout 9.70% per year. In the last 15 years (19992004), the total soybean planting area has decreased
from 1.33 million ha in 1990 to 0.55 million ha in
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
10.8

Area (mill. ha)
Productivity (t/ha)
Production (mill. ton)

0.6
0.4
0.201990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Figure 1. Planted area, yield potential, andsoybean production in Indonesia

Development and production

In Indonesia, soybean production fluctuatedduring the period 1970-2008. Harvested areafluctuated from 0.69 million hectare (1970) to 1.33
million hectare (1990), with a peak for 1.66 million
hectare in 1992, then decreased to 0.54 million ha(2002), and 0.46 million ha in 2007 (Table 1).
Decreasing harvested area was shown in thedecade 1990-2000, with growth rate of -4.69%,and decreasing sharper in the period of 2000-2004
such -9.02% per year. The negative growth rate
will threaten Indonesian self sufficiency in soybean
production.
The soybean productivity tended to increase
from 0.72 t/ha in 1970 to 1.11 t/ha in 1990, 1.23
t/ha in 2000 and 1.31 in 2008. The increasing
productivity is still low and does not balance thedecreasing harvested area thus overall soybean
production is declining in Indonesia (Table 1).
During the period 1970-1992, national
production grew positively i.e. 0.5 million ton in
1970, 0.65 million ton in 1980, 1.49 million ton in
1990, and 1.87 million ton in 1992 respectively. The
increasing production was mainly due to increasing
harvested area. Government Programs to reachsoybean self sufficiency affected increasing harvested
area during 4th Five Years Planning (1984-1988) and5th Five Years Planning (1989-1993). The programs
such as intensification of soybean development anddevelopment of marginal areas (Sihombing, 1995;
Manwan dan Sumarno, 1996).
In 1992, the total national production peaked- 77 -

Table 1. The growth for harvested area, productivity and production of soybean in Indonesia, 1970 – 2008

1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982

Harvested area
(ha)695,000
698,000
753,499
646,336
733,000
732,000
607,788

Productivity(t/ha)
0.72
0.74
0.78
0.81
0.84
0.89
0.86

Production(ton)
497,883
518,229589,239521,777
616,599652,762
521,394

1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

859,000
1,253,767
1,177,400
1,334,100
1,665,000
1,406,920
1,273,290
1,095,070
825,000
544,522565,155
621,541
580,534
459,116
591,899

0.90
0.98
1.08
1.11
1.12
1.11
1.19
1.19
1.23
1.24
1.28
1.30
1.29
1.29
1.31

769,384
1,226,727
1,270,418
1,487,433
1,869,713
1,564,847
1,517,180
1,305,640
1,018,000
673,056
723,483
808,353
747,611592,534
776,491

0.52
6.19
-4.69
-5.51
BPS, 2006. .

2.21
2.26
1.02
1.00

2.75
8.58
-3.72
-4.51

Year

Growth rate (%)
1970-1980
1980-1990
1990-2000
2000-2005
Source: FAO, 2006;

then decreased sharply as well as harvested area
i.e. 0.67 million ton in 2002 and 0.59 million tonin 2007. The decreasing production caused thatIndonesia depend on imported soybean.
Production system of soybean
Production system of soybean in Indonesia
is well adapted by farmers to produce high yield.
Relatively advanced cultural practices are used. An
adequate number of improved soybean varieties havebeen released. Indonesia has relatively fertile soils
to grow soybean. Soybean development could beintroduced to new provinces (Table 2).
Table 2. Potential field for soybean development inIndonesia.
Location
SumateraJava
Kalimantan
Bali & NTB
Sulawesi
Maluku & Papua
TotalArea (ha)480,714879,650
23,148152,388
124,551
5,255
1,665,706

Source: Directorate General for Food Crop(2004).
- 78 -The soybean seed yield obtained by farmers(approx. 1.2 t/ha) is significantly lower comparedto the genetic potential (>2 t/ha). The low yieldof soybean at the farmers’ level is primarily
due to the use of low quality seed and improper
cultural practices. The production technology ofsoybean consists of the use of improved variety
and management techniques on soils, water, crops,weeds, insect and pests disease. Such management
techniques are aimed at obtaining improved genetic
potential. Improved varieties can be easily adopted
by farmers and would contribute to an increase incrop productivity.
As a source of protein, soybean is generally
consumed as a processed product such as tofu,tempe, soybean sauce, tauco, soy milk, and snack.
FAO (2004) showed that soybean consumption
in Indonesia per capita during the last decade isdecreasing from approximately 11,38 kg/capita in
1990 to 8.97 kg/capita in 2004, the average decreaseis about 1.69% per year. While, the average decreaseduring 1995-2000 was about 1.57% per year, andper capita consumption decreased from 11.82 kg in
1995 to 10.92 kg in 2000. A sharp decrease occurredTable 3. Production, consumption and trade of soybean in Indonesia, year 1990-2004.
Production Consumption Deficit
Import(000 ton)(000 ton)(000 ton) (000 ton)
1990
1,487
2,028
541
541
1991
1,555
2,228
673
673
1992
1,870
2,560
690
694
1993
1,709
2,431
723724
1994
1,565
2,365
800
800
1995
1,680
2,287
607
607
1996
1,517
2,263
746
746
1997
1,357
1,973
616
616
1998
1,306
1,649
343
343
1999
1,383
2,684
1,301
1,302
2000
1,018
2,294
1,276
1,278
2001
827
1,960
1,133
1,136
2002
673
2,017
1,344
1,365
2003
672
2,016
1,343
1,193
2004
707
2,015
1,307
1,307
Growth (%)
-5.17
-0.05
6.51
6.5
Source: FAO (2004).
Year

between 2000 and 2004, i.e. 4.81% per year. Total
consumption, however, decreased approximately
0.05% per year (Table 3). Indonesia is highly
dependent on imported soybean.
Soybean could be utilized as food toreduce blood cholesterol and could prevent fromheart attack. Also, soybean could function as anantioxidant and prevent from cancer diseases.
Therefore, a demand on soybean in the future will
be increasing due to the increasing knowledge andawareness of healthy food.
The need of soybean during 2004 was 2.02
million ton, whereas the domestic production was
0.71 million ton, and the rest (1.31 million ton) wereimported. Thus, only about 35% of soybean need
could be fulfilled from domestic production. The efforts to reduce the rate of import could be carried out
through increasing productivity, planting area, production efficiency, farmers’ management and participation in production program, quality of the product,
market accessibility, microfinance system, development of infrastructure, as well as the regulation ofproducts’ marketing and business incentive.

Research and development

The improved varieties could increase theproductivity of soybean more than 2 t/ha. The newly
improved varieties incorporated in integrated crop
management could elevate the soybean seed yieldand the farmer’s income.
The newly improved soybean varieties (Table 4) is one of the technologies of the Indonesia
Agricultural Research and Development Agency- 79 -(IAARD) that could easily be adopted by farmers and could contribute to increase the seed yieldproduction. The program on the improved varieties,
which are tolerant to the biotic and non-biotic environment constraints, is required to help increase thesoybean seed yield.
The improved soybean variety is a significant
production factor to be incorporated in elevating theproductivity. However, only 10% of farmers use thelabeled (indicator of good quality) improved seed(Ditjentan 2004). Therefore, an extension program
to convince farmers of the usefulness of labeled seedneeds to be realized.
Crop production management techniques consist of improved variety usage and the managementof soil, water, insect and diseases as well as harvestand post harvest handling. An appropriate technology
such as the labeled seed usage, good drainage system, adequate water supply, an integrated pest management, harvest and post harvest handling would
result in soybean seed yield according to its genetic
potential.
Soybean varieties tolerant to biotic and nonbiotic environmental constraints needs to be assembled. The soybean varieties tolerant to insects andpest diseases such as c.v. Ijen which has characteristics tolerant to Spodoptera litura and high yieldpotential (>2 t/ha) could be used to maintain yieldstability. Tanggamus, Nanti, Sibayak, Seulawah dan
Ratai are newly released soybean varieties that areadapted to acid soils and drought.
High yielding soybean varieties could be assembled and the appropriate cultural practices couldTable 4. Newly improved varieties released in year 2001-2004.
Varieties

Maturity(days)
8885
85878585

Seed size

Specific Agroecosystem

Sinabung
KabaAnjasmoro
Mahameru
Panderman
Ijen

Yield potential(t/ha)
2.5
2.6
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

MediumMedium
Large
Large
Large
MediumLowlandLowlandLowlandLowlandLowlandLowland, tolerant Spodoptera

Tanggamus
Sibayak
Nanti
Ratai
Seulawah

2.7
2.5
2.5
2.6
2.7

88
89
91
90
90

MediumMediumMediumMediumMediumlitura.
UplandUplandUplandUplandUplandbe generated. The AARD could possibly realize thesegoals since we have: (1) sufficient soybean genetic
resources, (2) enough budget for research and development program and (3) qualified human resources (researchers).
Around thirty soybean varieties had been released
in Indonesia during the last 20 years. Sixty percent of
the released varieties are classified into medium maturity(81-90 days) and the others belong to early maturity (lessthan 80 days) groups. The medium maturity group could
produce 2.2 to 2.9 t/ha of seeds. Early mature varieties
usually give lower yield than the medium ones. According to their seed size, the varieties could be classified
into small, medium and large seeds. Island of Sumatra,Sulawesi, Irian Jaya, Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan
are potential areas for soybean production. However, ofsoybean varieties adapted for each region (agroecosystem) are needed. Based on the problems faced by farmers, soybean breeding program should give priority todevelop new varieties that tolerant drought as well as toacid soil conditions, resistance to major insect pests (podsucker, pod borer and leaf feeder) and disease (rust andvirus) and for good quality of seed.

Genetic resources

A total of 1092 soybean accessions are stored at
the Indonesian Legume and Tuber Crops Research Institute (ILETRI). A catalogue of the collection contains all
available information on ILETRI’s soybean collection,i.e. registration data; standard evaluation data; evaluation for specific traits; rejuvenation list and accessions
status.
Evaluation for specific traits has been done fortraits, i.e.:
1. Screening for resistance to bean flies, Ophiomyia
phaseoli (Tryon) and Melanagromyza sojae (Zehntn.),using methods described by Chiang and Talekar (1980).
- 80 -2. Screening for resistance to podborer (Etilla spp.) isbased on visual inspection of the pods at harvest time.
3. Screening for tolerance to water-logging.
4. Screening for bacterial pustule disease, caused by
Xanthomonas campestris pv. sojensis (Smith) Young etal., is one of the most common diseases of soybean inJava (Sri Hardaningsih et al . 1989).
5. Screening for pod-sucking insects. There are threemain species: Nezara viridula L., Riptortus linearis F.
and Piezodorus rubrofasciatus .
6. Screening for Peanut Stripe Virus (Pstv). Peanut
stripe virus was the first of the grain legume viruses
prevalent in East Java. Crops attacked are soybean,
groundnut and others.
7. Screening for Rust. It is caused by fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd.
8. Screening for tolerance for storage of seed underambient conditions. Soybean seeds deteriorate rapidly,
especially under the warm and humid conditions of Indonesia. Poor seed quality might be one of the causes ofpoor plant stand, one of the major constraints of soybean
production in Java. Possible solutions for keeping goodseed quality are improvement of storage conditions andbreeding varieties with better seed storability.
9. Screening for CPMMV (Saleh et al. 2005).
10. Screening for physical and chemical properties.
Physical characteristic include seed color, 100 gram
weight, equivalent diameter, water density and seedporosity, chemical characteristic include water content,ash, protein and lipid contents.
11. Screening for good soymilk production (Gintingand Antarlina, 2002).

References

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