Baramulti aims to increase domestic coal sales this year

By Thomas Sembiring

IDX-listed coal mining firm PT Baramulti Suksessarana Tbk aims to increase coal sales volume in the domestic market this year as it considers the local market to be more stable than the export market.

Baramulti President Director Khoirudin said on Friday that the domestic market is projected to account for about 20 percent of total sales this year, up from 15-17 percent last year, and 5 percent in the previous year. The company?s domestic coal buyers included power plant operators and cement companies.

?This year we hope (domestic sales volume) to be at least 20 percent (of total sales volume,? he said, adding that the company late last year obtained two new long-term coal supply contracts which will be implemented this year.

The company plans to increase coal sales volume this year to 10.3 million tons from 8.3 million tons last year. Baramulti has proposed for coal production this year of about 10.3 million, up from 8.3 million tons last year. But the plan has yet to be approved by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Last year?s coal output was primarily contributed by its Antang Gunung Meratus mine (6.8 million tons, lower than the initial target of 7 million tons), and Loa Janan mine (1.5 million tons).

?Our hope is that (production this year) will be at least 10 percent higher than last year?s? Khoirudin said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak