ICMA: National coal production could reach 310m tons up to the Q3 2013

By Cepi Setiadi

Indonesia Coal Mining Association (ICMA) projected that the national coal production to reach 310 million tons in the first nine months or until September this year.

Supriatna Suhala, Executive Director of the association told Petromindo.com on the sidelines of the 3rd Annual Business Meeting of Indonesian Coal Producers & Buyers 2013 in Bali on Monday that the coal production in Indonesia tend to keep rising despite the slowdown of demand amid the bearish market.

"The coal production is increasing because many coal mining companies which can weather the bearish market are ramping up their production to cover output losses caused by the collapse of many coal mining companies," he said adding that in 2013 the national production can exceed 400 million tons.

Last year, the national coal production stood at about 340 million ton, less than the target of 360 million tons. In 2013 the national production is targeted to reach 390 million tons. According to the ministry of energy and mineral resources, in the first half of the year, the national coal production reached about 211 million tons.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon