National sugar demand has reached 200 thousand tons per month.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s sugar stocks have reached 800 thousand tons and are adequate to meet demand for the next four months, with average consumption of 200 thousand tons per month, according to the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI).
“National sugar demand has reached 200 thousand tons per month. With stocks at 800 thousand tons, it would be adequate to meet demand for four months — January, February, March, and April,” secretary general of the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI), Nur Khabsyin, said in a statement here on Thursday.
In June, 2021, he said, farmers will enter the sugar production season and the government will only need 200-300 thousand tons more to cover demand in May and June.
Therefore, the plan to increase the sugar import quota will be unnecessary, Khabsyin noted.
“The government has issued the license for 646 thousand tons of raw sugar imports. The amount is more than enough to fill in the gap and fulfill the buffer stock,” he added.
At present, around 100 thousand tons of farm output has not been absorbed, while some companies have submitted proposals to obtain licenses to import 150 thousand tons of white crystal sugar.
"If this import is approved, then it would be more difficult to absorb farmers' sugar production," Khabsyin said. (INE)
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Translator: Sella P Gareta, Sri Haryati
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