Coal production reaches 203 MT in January-July 2010: APBI

The country?s coal production reached 203 million tons (MT) during the period of January to July this year, or about 63 percent of the yearly production target of 320 million tons, according to data of the association of Indonesian coal producers (APBI).

The association?s chairman Bob Kamandanu said the high production during the first half of the year happened thanks to the relatively conducive weather condition during the period.

He, however, said that the weather condition had begun to change in July and was expected to slow the production growth in the second half. However, most of the association?s members said that the bad weather condition would not much affect their supplies to buyers because most of them had built up buffer stocks.

Bob hoped that the weather condition in the second half would not really affect mining activities so that the production target for 2010 could be achieved, but if the weather continues to be bad, this year?s output will be less 1-2 percent of the target. (*)