March 4, 2009

Indonesia's soymeal production is estimated to reach 850,230 tonnes this year, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said.

BPS chief Rusman Heriawan said on Monday (Mar 2) according to temporary figures, soymeal output rose by 73,740 tonnes from the 2008 production.

Heriawan said the rise was 9.5 percent from the previous year's production, caused by increasing harvests that reached 46,200 hectares of land or 7.81 percent and also productivity that rose by 0.2 quintals per hectare or 1.52 percent.

He said the production rise was expected in several regions mainly Aceh, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Banten, South Sumatra and Lampung.

He said that according to initial figures, soymeal production in 2008 reached 776,490 tonnes, up 183,960 tonnes or 31.05 percent, compared to 2007.

The hike in production was attributed to increasing fields for harvest covering 132,780 hectares or 28.92 percent.

The increasing harvests also made productivity to rise by 0.21 quintals per hectare or 1.63 percent.