Indonesian sugar production in 2014 Predicted to Rise

Surabaya (East Java Reuters) - Production of the national sugar cane milling results in 2014 is predicted to increase from last year, despite the uncertainty of the climate and the price of sugar in the country is still looming. Senior Advisor to the Indonesian Sugar Association (AGI) Adig Suwandi when contacted in Jakarta, Tuesday, milled sugarcane productivity suggests the possibility of a little down time, but the yield (sugar cane) is estimated to rise although not as high as in 2012. "From the compilation assessed in March 2014 in all sugar mills, shows the areas of sugarcane cultivation reached 472,792 hectares, the amount of 26,182,325 tons and milled cane sugar produced approximately 2,927,486 tons," he said. 

The projected 76.5 tons of sugarcane productivity perhektare, with yield 8.09 percent and 6.2 tons perhektare crystal. "If the production of sugar as much as it can be realized, practical Indonesia in 2014 has been able to cover all the needs of the sugar consumption independently, assuming a national requirement of 2.6 million tonnes," added Adig. If there is a correction of about 5-10 per cent, up Adig, sugar production would still equal 2.6 million-2, 78 million tons. "The number is also still within safe limits for self-sufficiency," said Adig which also Corporate Secretary of PT Perkebunan Nusantara XI (Persero). 

However, Adig adding that the local sugar producers hope the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) continues to provide information about the development and climate change in order to keep an accurate prediction of production that can be obtained, while making efforts to improve internal cultivation improvement in the remaining time available and manufacturing efficiencies. Data Indonesian Sugar Council (DGI) noted centers of sugar production is still concentrated in Java, with details of the total area of ​​305 302 hectares of sugarcane cultivation, the amount of milled cane sugar produced 23,381,748 tons and 1,870,890 tons. While outside Java, the area under sugarcane cultivation around 157 490 hectares, the amount of milled cane sugar produced 22,800,577 tons and 1,056,596 tons. 

Adig Suwandi said in a historical area of ​​the sugar mills, especially in Java, the area under sugarcane is estimated to decrease due to a less favorable sugar prices and unfavorable relative milled during 2013. "Some farmers not to expand the cultivation area. Cane Even if there are still manageable, mostly from keprasan which is the level of maintenance to be less expensive, at least do not have to buy the seeds," he said. At the coordination meeting in Surabaya sugar SOE some time earlier, State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan asked SOEs engaged in the sugar sector to improve its performance so that the production of sugar in the milling season in 2014 could rise to 1.8 million tons. "Sugar production in 2013 compared to stagnate in 2012. We want sugar production rose in 2014, should rise substantially," he said. In the milling season in 2013, the production of sugar produced from sugar mills owned SOEs approximately 1.5 million. One of the SOEs that contribute the highest national sugar production is PT Perkebunan Nusantara X (Persero) with a total of 485,000 tons. Dahlan Iskan admits no optimal production of sugar in 2013 because it was overshadowed climate anomaly, which is characterized by prolonged rain since the beginning until towards the end of the milling season.