Bengkulu's two-month coal export reaches US$1.589 million

Export of coal from Bengkulu in the first two months of this year reached 75,706 tons, valued at US$1.589 million, a sharp drop from US$2.263 million recorded in the same period of last year.

The head of foreign trade division at the Bengkulu provincial industry and trade office, Zainal Jambak, said on Wednesday (March 22) that Bengkulu's coal had been exported to four Asian countries, namely Malaysia, India, Bangladesh and Thailand.

Zainal attributed the drop in Bengkulu's coal export this year to the swallowing of the Pulau Baai port that forced vessels of above 30,000 dead weight tons to stay away from the port.

He noted that coal was the sole mineral export commodity from Bengkulu and the largest contributor of foreign exchange income for the province. In 1999, Bengkulu exported 983,000 tons of coal, valued at US$18.850 million. (*)