Indonesia tofu makers cut portions as soybean costs rise

That leaves little room for profit. He said output from 1 quintal of soybeans generates about 50 boards of tofu sold for around Rp33,000 each, producing gross revenue of roughly Rp1.65 million. After accounting for soybean purchases, labor, firewood and electricity, the cushion is only around Rp100,000 to Rp150,000 — and a small mistake in molding or processing can wipe that out.

The pressure is not just a single-shop problem. Tofu and tempeh makers across Indonesia rely heavily on imported soybeans, so higher U.S. prices quickly feed through to local food inflation and operating costs for small manufacturers. Sudiarto said the only way to keep production going is to make the tofu smaller, essentially preserving volume by reducing size.

The squeeze also highlights how trade and geopolitics ripple beyond commodity markets into everyday food prices. Weakening affordability for small processors can eventually filter into retail prices or lower supply, with the hardest hit likely being household-scale producers already operating at near-break-even levels.

Soybean traders and food processors will be watching whether import costs ease or stay elevated, while for consumers the next risk is a further cut in tofu size or a fresh price increase if margins tighten again.