JAKARTA (Indonesia Today) – Indonesia, South East Asia’s largest sugar consumer, will issue import permits for 250,000 tonnes of raw sugar immediately.

Director General for International Trade Deddy Saleh said four state-owned companies have expressed their willingness to process imported raw sugar into crystal sugar to feed domestic food and beverages industry.

The state-owned companies are PTPN II, PTPN XI, PTPN X, and PTPN XI. Other than them, some private-owned companies have also expressed their interests to process raw sugar.

“The demand for imported sugar is around 2.5 million tons. We have issued permit to import 2.1 million tons. We will add 250,000 tons,” Deddy said.

He admitted that food processors like Frisian Flag, Mayora, Santos, Nestle, and others have asked for sugar supply because of limited supply at domestic sugar refineries. (Indonesia Today)