GOVT TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SUGAR PRICE: MINISTER

Jakarta, Sept 6 (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said the government will maintain the current price of sugar which she said had met the interest of both the farmers and producers.

"The price of local sugar is now stable. We will maintain it, and it is relatively at a reasonable level compared with omported sugar. We will continue to monitor it," the minister said here on Friday.
The ministry of trade's data show that the national average price of local sugar on September 5, 2008 was Rp6,443 per kg while that of imported one steppd at Rp6,650 per kg.
She said that the highest price was recorded in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, at Rp7,650 per kg while the lowest in Surabaya, East Java, at Rp5,500 ker kg.
The minister said that the main purpose of the sugar trade regulation was to protect sugar cane growers, stabilize the price and empower sugar mills.
"We have had coordination with the local administration and relevant agencies to supervise the distribution of sugar, particularly refined sugar of imported raw materials," she said.
The minister said that the supervision should be carried out in order to prevent refined sugar from entering food and drink industries.
The minister said based on the Indonesian Sugar Council's forcast, the initial stocks and production of sugar in 2008 totalled 6.2 million tons while national sugar consumption was about 4.9 million tons.
"There is a surplus of 1.2 - 1.3 million tons which are enough to meet the need during the January-April 2009 period and until the next milling season. So, there is no need to import sugar," she said.
She said that sugar production in 2008 was estimated at between 2.7 million and 2.9 million tons.
Indonesia's sugar consumption reached 3.1 million tons, she said.