Coal production doubles in first semester

Indonesia?s coal production reached a total of 144 million tons during the first semester of this year, or about 57.6 percent of the national coal production target of about 250 million tons this year, according to the association of Indonesian coal producers (APBI).

The association said that the coal production during the first half of this year rose 100 percent from 72 million tons recorded in the first six months, last year.

The association?s chairman Bob Kamandanu said in Jakarta on Monday that about 27 million tons of the total production in the Jan-June period was sold in the domestic market.

?The remaining 117 million tons are exported,? he said, adding that the actual production during the first semester of this year could be higher because the production data in June had not been all recorded.

Bob said that with the production achievement made during the first semester of this year, he was quite optimistic that this year?s production target could be achieved. (*)