RI to import more sugar

RI to import more sugar

LONDON (Reuter): Indonesia is expected to import over one million tons of sugar in 1997/98, including more than 300,000 tons of raws, Czarnikow Sugar said in its latest monthly report yesterday.

Imports would be little changed from last season. Indonesia's logistics agency, BULOG, which has a monopoly of white sugar imports, recently denied that the sharp fall in the rupiah against the US dollar would lead to a reduction in commodity imports.

Indonesia has been seeking mostly Thai whites, pushing up the value of Thai 100 ICUMSA sugar for Feb/March shipment, which may rise out of line with the rest of the world market unless it takes more Brazilian sugars.