INDONESIA – Exports strongly up in June

MILAN – Helped by good harvests, Indonesia, the world’s second-biggest robusta producer, exported an estimated 207,600 tonnes of coffee in the first half of 2009, up about 19% on year.

Last month, shipments went up an impressive 76% reaching a total volume of 70,504 tons, according to trade data.

Bean exports via East Java’s main port of Tanjung Perak increased 53% in the first half to 33,228 tonnes, making it the second-biggest port for coffee exports after Panjang port in southern Sumatra province of Lampung.

The rise in exports is considered a positive signal in times of global crisis and is good news for a country like Indonesia which relies on exports of agriculture products, said local sources.