JAKARTA. Ministry of Commerce’s plan to issue license to import raw sugar to be processed into consumption sugar as much as 400,000 tons has sparked protest from the Indonesian Sugar Cane Farmers Association (APTRI). In this case, the government has referred to invalid data to grant import license to eight private companies. Secretary General Muhammad Nur Khabsyin said that Ministry of Commerce does not need to issue more import license in this year, on the grounds domestic sugar production and the last year’s imported sugar will have met the demands of consumption sugar for 2017. According to Nur, the stock of milled sugar production in 2016 remaining 800,000 ton. In addition, there are parts of 1.5 million of imported sugar, which have not yet been realized. Nur estimates that number will be sufficient until the milling season in May 2017. “The amount distribution of sugar, which are processed by refinery sugar company, is potentially to exceed the amount of imported sugar. Because, refinery sugar might be sold,” he said.
Sugar cane farmers protested government
JAKARTA. Ministry of Commerce’s plan to issue license to import raw sugar to be processed into consumption sugar as much as 400,000 tons has sparked protest from the Indonesian Sugar Cane Farmers Association (APTRI). In this case, the government has referred to invalid data to grant import license to eight private companies. Secretary General Muhammad Nur Khabsyin said that Ministry of Commerce does not need to issue more import license in this year, on the grounds domestic sugar production and the last year’s imported sugar will have met the demands of consumption sugar for 2017. According to Nur, the stock of milled sugar production in 2016 remaining 800,000 ton. In addition, there are parts of 1.5 million of imported sugar, which have not yet been realized. Nur estimates that number will be sufficient until the milling season in May 2017. “The amount distribution of sugar, which are processed by refinery sugar company, is potentially to exceed the amount of imported sugar. Because, refinery sugar might be sold,” he said.