Indonesian coal miners revises up 2011 output to 360 mln T vs initial 340 mln

Indonesia has revised upward its coal production for this year to 360 million tonnes, a 3.7 percent increase from a target of 340 million tonnes made earlier, said Supriatna Suhala, Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association.

Faster-than-expected recovery in demand from Japan would help spur production higher with production in first semester reached 170 million tonnes or half of the target of 340 million tonnes, said Suhala.

"We expect production will be much higher in the third and fourth quarter," said Suhala.

"Coal exports to Japan only reached 10 million tonnes in the first half because there were 5-7 million tonnes of cargoes unable to be shipped," said Suhala.

Japan's demand for Indonesia coal is expected to reach 30 million tonnes every year or a third of the country's annual coal need. (*)