Indonesian soya imports could exceed 1.8 million tonnes

Indonesia's soyabean imports could exceed 1.8 million tonnes this year as domestic supplies struggle to meet demand, an industry official said on Friday, urging the government to boost import duties about fivefold. Indonesia, home to around 240 million people, imports 70 percent of its annual soyabean requirements, mostly from the United States, the world's top exporter. Soyabean is mainly grown in the main island of Java and also in parts of Sumatra.
Soyabean consumption in Southeast Asia's largest economy rose 6 percent to around 2.4 million tonnes last year, and the country has set an ambitious target of self-sustainability by 2014.