East Java Produces 47 Percent of National Sugar
Wednesday, 24 January, 2007 | 12:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Surabaya: East Java has succeeded in achieving annual production of 1.1 million tons of sugar, or 47 percent of national production of 2.3 million tons per year.

The sugar was produced by 31 sugar refineries in the province.

Secretary of PT Pekebunan Nusantara XI (Persero) Adig Suwandi said that the rate of demand for sugar in East Java amounted to 40,000 tons a month, with reserve stocks of 40,000 tons per month.

So, over a year, East Java only requires a total of 520,000 tons.

The remaining 580,000 tons can be allocated to other areas that are not sugar production centers, bearing in mind that national sugar consumption is estimated to be 2.6 million tons.

However, said Adig, East Java still requires imported sugar.

The reason for this is that the transfer of sugar from one area results in price differentials.

“This is a market consequence that has no distinct and visible geographical boundary,” he said on Wednesday morning (01/24).

He went on to say he hoped that the arrival of imported sugar in the port of Surabaya would be able to stabilize high sugar prices.

In addition, Adig went on to say that now sugar from farmers has all been sold.

Sunudyantoro