History of Soybeans and Soyfoods in Southeast Asia (13th Century to 2010)
William Shurtleff, Akiko AoyagiISBN: 978-1-928914-30-3
Publication Date: 2010 June 4
Number of References in Bibliography: 3138
Earliest Reference: 13th Century
Click here to download the full text to open and read book 
Brief Chronology of Soy in Southeast Asia
902 AD – Indonesia: Tofu is mentioned in the Watukura A / Watu Kura A inscription. However soybeans are not mentioned (Antoinette M. Jones, PhD thesis, 1976. University of London).
1815 – Indonesia: Tempe is being made in Central Java (Serat Centhini manuscript, in Codex Orientalis 1814 of the Leiden University Library. Vol. 1, p. 295, discovered by Shurtleff and Aoyagi, The Book of Tempeh, 2nd ed., p. 145).
1922 – Indonesia is now importing a record 4.2 million bushels a year of soybeans. But this figure slowly begins to decrease, falling to 3.6 million bushels by 1930, then to only 0.3 million bushels by 1935 (Burtis 1950, p. 68).
1963 – Malaysia: The Federation of Malaya expands and changes its name to Malaysia.
1964 May – Indonesia: “Tempeh fermentation: Package and tray fermentation,” by Martinelli and Hesseltine is published in the journal Food Technology (p. 167-71). It describes how to make tempeh in perforated polyethylene bags. This discovery and “new technology” is soon transferred to tempeh makers in Indonesia, where it becomes widely used. Growing interest in and publications about tempeh by Western scientists and nutritionists begin to enhance its image and increase its consumption in Indonesia. Before long more Indonesian scientists and nutritionists are studying tempeh.
1970s early – Indonesia: Imports start to grow dramatically. In 1968-72 Indonesia exported on average 5,000 tonnes (metric tons) of soybeans a year. Then, in the early 1970s, the country switched to being importer. In 1973-77 Indonesia imported on average a modest 14,000 tonnes of soybeans a year, increasing dramatically to 211,000 tonnes in 1978-82, and 359,000 tonnes a year in 1983-87.
Soybean consumption in Indonesia also increased dramatically (more than 3-fold) during this 20-year period from 372,000 tonnes per year on average in 1968-72 to 1,152,000 tonnes in 1983-87 (Saleh and Sumarno 1993, p. 57).
1975 Aug. – Brunei: Soybeans are first cultivated, experimentally (C.N. Williams 1978).
1976 – Indonesia: The Present Status of Soybean in Indonesia, by Winarno et al. is published. This remarkable report (xxiii + 128 pages), based on a nationwide survey, contains a wealth of detailed information and statistics on all aspects of soybeans and soyfoods in Indonesia. Unfortunately, there are no statistics on soybean imports or exports.
1979 – Indonesia: KOPTI is founded - The Tempeh & Tofu Processors Cooperative.
1982 Jan. – Timor-Leste (East Timor): Soybean products (soy sauce) are first reported (B.J.B. Wood 1982). Soybeans as such have not yet been reported.
1991 Dec. – Indonesia: “Soybean utilization, processing, and production policy in Indonesia,” by Pierre Rondot et al. is published in Palawija News (Bogor, p. 1-6). An excellent article with many statistics. For example: In Java, annual soybean consumption per capita varies from 11 to 16 kilograms compared with one to six kilograms in other areas of Indonesia. Java, which produces 47% of Indonesia's soybean, is also its greatest consumer.
“Average soybean consumption for the whole of Indonesia increased from 3.42 kg/cap/year in 1969 to 5.78 kg/cap/year in 1985. Consumption per capita of processed soybean is higher in urban areas than in rural areas."
In 1987, according to SYGAP survey data, Indonesians consumed 749,600 tonnes of tempeh (86 gm/week), 714,700 tonnes of tofu (82 gm/week), and 48,200,000 liters of kecap (ketjap; Indonesian soy sauce).
2003 – Southeast Asia snapshot: The limited soybean production in the 10 ASEAN member countries benefits from varying degrees of governmental protection. Yet they are large importers, with nearly 3.5 million tonnes (metric tons) of soybean meal and 3 million tonnes of soybeans.
Indonesia produces about 800,000 tonnes/year of soybeans and imports 1.4 to 1.5 million tonnes.
Thailand produces 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes/year of soybeans. In 2002 Thailand imported 1.3 million tonnes of soybeans and 1.9 million tonnes of soybean meal.
The Philippines has very little soybean production, but the country's 3 crushers import about 350,000 tonnes of soybeans. Another 1.25 million tonnes of meal are imported.
Vietnam also has small local production, but the country's booming feed industry imported 600,000 tonnes of soybean meal in 2002. Vietnam is the only country in the region experiencing double-digit growth in grain demand. The government has announced plans to promote more vegetable oil production and consumption, and Vietnam's first modern soybean crushing plant is now under construction. A huge new grain port is being built in South Vietnam, 70 km east of Ho Chi Minh City. The import terminal will be able to handle panamax-sized vessels.
Traditionally the USA has been the largest supplier to the region, but Brazil, Argentina and China are now taking increasing shares of that market (David McKee in World Grain, Aug. 2003, p. 30-42).
Present status:
Imports of soybean meal: The world’s top four soybean meal importers (in million metric tons): (1). E.U.-27 (European Union 27 nations) 22.150. (2) Indonesia 2.45. (3). Vietnam 2.30. (4). Thailand 2.10 (Chris Lyddon in World Grain, Nov. 2009, p. 28-36). Note: The Southeast Asian countries have large and rapidly growing feed (especially poultry) industries but most do not have soybean crushing plants.
Soybean production in Southeast Asia has decreased slightly from 1.581 million metric tons (MMT) in 2000/2001 to 1.461 MMT in 2009/10. Of this total, Indonesia produces 800,000 metric tons (MT), Vietnam 300,000 MT, Thailand 170,000 MT, and Philippines 1,000 MT.
Imports of whole soybeans to Southeast Asia has remained largely unchanged from 4.084 MMT in 2001/02 to 4.025 MMT in 2009/10. The countries with the largest soybean imports in 2009/10 are (in MMT): Thailand 1.85. Indonesia 1.60. Malaysia 0.61. Vietnam 0.22. Philippines 0.125 and Singapore 0.02.
Imports of soybean oil to Southeast Asia has remained largely unchanged from 297,000 metric tons (MT) in 2001/02 to 320,000 MT in 2009/10. The countries with the largest imports of soybean oil in 2009/10 are (in 1,000 MT): Vietnam 135. Malaysia 128. Singapore 38. Indonesia 15. Philippines 3. Thailand 1.
Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, psdonline (online database). May 2010.
This Book is About:
History of soybeans in Southeast Asia
History of soybeans in Burma
History of soybeans in Brunei
History of soybeans in Cambodia
History of soybeans in East Timor
History of soybeans in Indonesia
History of soybeans in Laos
History of soybeans in Malaysia
History of soybeans in Myanmar
History of soybeans in Philippines
History of soybeans in The Philippines
History of soybeans in Singapore
History of soybeans in Thailand
History of soybeans in Timor-Leste
History of soybeans in Vietnam
History of soybeans in Dutch East Indies
History of soybeans in the Dutch East Indies
History of soybeans in Malaya
History of soybeans in Siam
History of soybeans in Netherlands Indies
History of soybeans in the Netherlands Indies
History of soybean in Southeast Asia
History of soybean in Burma
History of soybean in Brunei
History of soybean in Cambodia
History of soybean in East Timor
History of soybean in Indonesia
History of soybean in Laos
History of soybean in Malaysia
History of soybean in Myanmar
History of soybean in Philippines
History of soybean in The Philippines
History of soybean in Singapore
History of soybean in Thailand
History of soybean in Timor-Leste
History of soybean in Vietnam
History of soybean in Dutch East Indies
History of soybean in the Dutch East Indies
History of soybean in Malaya
History of soybean in Siam
History of soybean in Netherlands Indies
History of soybean in the Netherlands Indies
History of soy in Southeast Asia
History of soy in Burma
History of soy in Brunei
History of soy in Cambodia
History of soy in East Timor
History of soy in Indonesia
History of soy in Laos
History of soy in Malaysia
History of soy in Myanmar
History of soy in Philippines
History of soy in The Philippines
History of soy in Singapore
History of soy in Thailand
History of soy in Timor-Leste
History of soy in Vietnam
History of soy in Dutch East Indies
History of soy in the Dutch East Indies
History of soy in Malaya
History of soy in Siam
History of soy in Netherlands Indies
History of soy in the Netherlands Indies
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Southeast Asia
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Burma
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Brunei
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Cambodia
History of soybeans and soyfoods in East Timor
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Indonesia
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Laos
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Malaysia
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Myanmar
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Philippines
History of soybeans and soyfoods in The Philippines
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Singapore
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Thailand
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Timor-Leste
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Vietnam
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Dutch East Indies
History of soybeans and soyfoods in the Dutch East Indies
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Malaya
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Siam
History of soybeans and soyfoods in Netherlands Indies
History of soybeans and soyfoods in the Netherlands Indies