W. Sumatera coal exports fall as output drops

The monthly coal exports from West Sumatera dropped to 39,821 tons in May this year from 52,762 million in April. In term of value the coal exports in May fell to US$910,333 from $1,062 in the same period, according to the provincial office of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

A senior official at the office attributed the drop in the export volume to a continued decline in the coal production in province, Antara reported on Saturday

He said that the orders from overseas buyers were rising but the province could not fulfill the demand due to the difficulty in raising the coal output.

Coal exports from West Sumatera province dropped nearly 80 percent in term of volume to 209,796 tons during the January-May period or fell by 70 percent in term of value to US$4.23 million as compared to the same period of last year.

Last year, the province's coal exports reached 1.57 million tons worth about $28.20 million last year, down from about 1.63 million tons worth $35.12 million a year earlier. (*)