APMR reduces coal trade by 30% this year

By Cepi Setiadi

PT Asia Pacific Mining Resources (APMR), a coal trading company, is lowering its coal trading volume this year by up to 30 percent due to the lingering downturn in the coal market.

Ramli, Director of APMR told Petromindo.com on Wednesday that the company usually sells around 2 million tons of coal per year. ?But in the current condition, we are just targeting around 1.2 million tons this year, or a drop of around 30 percent,? he said, adding that the company mostly reduces trading in the overseas markets as the prices are so low.

?But luckily we have existing clients in the local market especially in the cement and manufacturing industries,? he said.

Ramli the company has increased focus on the local market, which is expected to account for 85 percent of its coal trade volume this year, as compared to 15 percent export markets particularly the Philippies and Vietnam.

He said that before the downturn, the local market accounted for 60 percent compared to 40 percent export market.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak