Indonesia sees low tin export volume in August

Tin exports from Indonesia reached 11,500 tons worth US$167 million in August this year as not all tin firms that hold export license have exported their products, Kontan Daily reported Saturday.

 

The association’s chairman Apik Chakip Rasjidi said in Jakarta Friday that  out of the 14 tin firms in Bangka and Belitung islands that hold export license only six have sold their product overseas. Indonesia produces tins only on both islands.

 

Apik said that as of August of this year, tin exports reached 51,516 tons worth US$712 million. “The figure is only half of the tin export volume seen in 2006, which reached 120,000 ton per year,” he said.

 

The six tin exporters are PT Timah Tbk, PT Koba Tin, CV DS Jaya Abadi, CV Donna Kembara Jaya, PT Bangka Putra Karya, PT Billitin Makmur Lestari.

 

Meanwhile, tin producers with registered exporter status but have yet to export their product are PT Yinchenindo Mining Industry, CV Duta Putra Bangka, PT Tinindo Inter Nusa, PT Bukit Timah, PT Mitra Stania Prima, CV Prima Timah Utama, PT Sariwiguna Binasentosa, and PT Sumber Jaya Indah.

 

According to Apik, the companies have yet to start to export their tin because they are afraid of dealing with the authorities. “Because they refuse to join a consortium,” he said.

 

However, PT Bangka Belitung Tin Sejahtera (BBTS) consortium commissioner Ismeryadi denied it, saying, “Our export plan is hampered by a regulation requiring the companies to verify the origin of their product.” (*)