Jakarta. Brazil is ready to become Indonesia's leading supplier of soybeans and meat, seeing strong export opportunities from President Prabowo Subianto's flagship Free Nutritious Meals program, a Brazilian diplomat said on Wednesday.

The nationwide initiative, which is expected to serve tens of millions of beneficiaries, is projected to significantly increase demand for agricultural commodities, creating new opportunities for Brazilian exporters of soybeans, beef, and poultry.

"We know that tempeh and tofu are essential menu items in the Free Nutritious Meals program, and Brazil is ready to help meet Indonesia's soybean demand," Carlos Turchetto, agricultural attaché at the Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta, told reporters on the sidelines of the Food & Hospitality Indonesia (FHI) 2026 exhibition.

Turchetto said Brazil is capable of supplying high-quality soybeans at competitive prices and that larger shipments could help Indonesia maintain stable supplies while easing price pressures in the domestic market.

In addition to soybeans, Brazil is prepared to increase exports of beef and poultry should Indonesia require additional supplies. Brazil has long been one of Indonesia's principal suppliers of halal-certified meat products.

Trade ties in the meat sector have expanded in recent years, supported by Indonesia's recognition of three private halal certification bodies in Brazil.

"There are now 52 Brazilian companies approved to export meat to Indonesia. Just last month, Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture sent an audit team to Brazil to inspect another 21 companies seeking approval," Turchetto said.

He attributed the growing commercial relationship partly to Indonesia's accession as a full member of BRICS on Jan. 6, 2025.

"Cooperation through forums such as BRICS, combined with strong relations between our leaders, is very important. I believe this has made many bureaucratic processes much easier for both countries," he said.

At FHI 2026, the Brazilian Embassy brought 10 companies to the Brazil Pavilion to showcase a range of products, including açaí, sorbet, wine, and coffee, as part of efforts to expand the country's food exports to Indonesia.

Indonesia remains heavily dependent on imported soybeans to meet domestic demand for staple soy-based foods such as tempeh and tofu, making the country one of the world's largest soybean importers and an attractive market for Brazilian exporters.

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