Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono said the government would allocate about 500,000 tons of the country`s urea fertilizer production for export. “We are planning to export 500,000 tons. Confirmation is being made so that the figure will not be less than that,” the minister said after visiting the Cipinang Rice Wholesale Market here on Monday, 14 Sep 09
The minister said he had received a report that there was a stock surplus of one million tons but his ministry would still confirm the report.
In the meantime, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the urea fertilizer export plan would be carried out at the end of the year. “Usually it is done before the end of the year to anticipate the planting season and other things,” she said.
Minister Apriantono said recently that the quantity of fertilizer that could be exported and the time frame for the export were still being discussed. “Just wait for it. We stll need to coordinate the matter with other ministries in the first place,” he said.
Deputy to the chief economic minister for agriculture, Bayu Krisnamurthi said the country had a surplus in fertilizer stocks at present. “There is a surplus in the national fertilizer stocks,” he said.
Based on records, urea exports were usually carried out by PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda with a volume of about 450,000 tons. But the government would give a chance to other companies to carry out the exports.”The ministry of agriculture wants fertilizer stocks to be safeguarded. But on the other hand, it is also considering the interest of industries,” he added.
