North Sumatra Coffee Exports Reach US$128.32 Million

Jakarta ( Berita ) :  North Sumatra  earned US$ 128.32 million by  exporting 38,233 tons of coffee seeds and instant coffee until August 2008, an official said here Friday.

“Arabica coffee still contributed the most or f US$ 116.227 million from the export of f 33,542 tons,” head of the Association Of Indonesian Coffee Exporters (AEKI), North Sumatra chapter, Suyanto Husein said.

Robusta coffee contributed the second largest amount of foreign exchange while the volume of instant coffee exported rises every year.

He said  the volume of coffee exports tended to decrease in September to December when the year-end holiday comes and factories  stop  production as  stocks are high.

“Demand usually rockets at the beginning of the year. North Sumatra coffee exports, for example, reached 12,000 tons worth  US$ 39.3 million in January and February 2008,” he said. North Sumatra exports its coffee to the US, China, the Netherlands, Singapore and Malaysia. ( ant )