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Before we delve into Indonesia’s June 2021 trade statistics, we first take a quick look at Indonesia’s full-year 2020 trade performance as Indonesia’s Statistical Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS) released its annual ‘Indonesian Foreign Trade Statistics – 2020’ report in the first week of July 2021.
On 5 March 2021 Indonesia Investments released its latest monthly report in which key developments are discussed that impact on the country's business and investment environments, most notably the 'positive investment list' (a derivative regulation of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation) and the establishment of Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund (which will focus on infrastructure development).
The latest research report of Indonesia Investments focuses on the energy sector of Indonesia. The energy sector is a crucial sector because without energy it is impossible to pursue economic and social development.
The Indonesian government plans to allow an earlier submission of a request for the extension of mining concessions. Stakeholders say that this would considerably strengthen the investment climate in Indonesia's mining sector, specifically the coal mining industry, on the back of improved legal certainty.
In the first three quarters of 2018, Indonesia's total national coal production reached 319.08 million tons, or nearly 63 percent of the government's full-year 2018 target (set at 506.9 million tons), according to the latest data from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.
Both Indonesia's Trade Ministry and the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) confirmed that the mandatory national insurance for coal and crude palm oil (CPO) exports regulation has been postponed by another six months. Thus the regulation is now expected to come into effect per 1 February 2019.
According to the latest data from Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, the nation's coal production reached 163.4 million tons in the first half of 2018. This may seem a very low figure considering the Indonesian government targets national coal production at (a maximum of) 485 million in full-year 2018 (and not unoften this target is exceeded as local coal companies are eager to boost sales, particularly in times of high coal prices).
This year's coal production in Indonesia is likely to top last year's figure of 461 million tons. In fact, coal production in 2018 may also exceed the production quota that was set by the Indonesian government as the nation's coal miners are eager to boost coal production amid stronger coal prices. Starting from 2015 coal prices have been in an upward trend; a trend that is continuing to date.
The Indonesian government scrapped Trade Ministry Regulation No. 82/2017 on the Terms of Use of National Shipping and Insurance Companies for the Export and Import of Certain Goods. This regulation, which was originally scheduled to be implemented in May 2018 (but its implementation had already been postponed), would have made it mandatory to use local vessels (owned by Indonesian sea shipping companies) for the export of coal, crude palm oil (CPO), and rice.
After having fallen over the past two months, Indonesia's benchmark thermal coal price (in Indonesian: Harga Batubara Acuan, or HBA) managed to rebound in June 2018. The HBA, a monthly price that is determined by Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (and which is based on several global and domestic indexes), was set at USD $96.61 per ton in June 2018, up from USD $89.53 in the preceding month.
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Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will soon issue a moratorium on new coal mining concessions. This moratorium will be implemented after the issuance of a planned presidential instruction regarding a five-year moratorium on new palm oil plantation concessions. Heriyanto, Head of the Legal Department Directorate General of Minerals and Coal at the Energy Ministry, emphasized that the moratorium in Indonesia's mining industry only involves coal, not the mining of minerals.
Domestic coal consumption in Indonesia rose 34.5 percent (y/y) to 24.5 million tons in the January-April 2016 period, according to data from Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. This growth is caused by higher domestic coal demand due to Indonesia's ambitious 35,000 MW program (many of the power plants constructed in this program are coal-fired). Meanwhile, Indonesia's coal exports were down 14 percent (y/y) to 68 million metric tons over the same period amid sluggish global demand.
Last week it was announced that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) agreed to a USD $3.4 billion loan for the construction of the controversial Batang power plant in Central Java. This power plant project is controversial as it met fierce resistance from the local community (triggering concerns about human rights violations related to the land acquisition process) as well as criticism from environmental groups, saying this power plant - set to become Indonesia's largest coal-fired power plant - runs counter to Indonesia's earlier commitment to reduce carbon emissions.
Adaro Energy, one of Indonesia's leading coal mining companies, is still plagued by the globe's weak coal prices. However, the company's estimated lower cash and operational costs give a positive boost to the miner's corporate earnings this year. According to Danareksa Sekuritas' estimates the cost of mining for Adaro Energy (outside royalty payments) will range between USD $26 - $28 per ton in 2016, slightly down from USD $28 per ton last year. Meanwhile, the miner's stripping ratio is expected to decline to 4.7x in 2016 (from 5.2x last year).
One of the leading diversified conglomerates in Indonesia, Astra International, is facing challenges. Demand for cars has been on the decline in Indonesia over the past two years. This is a big challenge for the company because the automotive sector accounts for about half of Astra's total earnings. Meanwhile, its heavy equipment & mining segment and the financial services segment have been under severe pressure. Net income in the heavy equipment & mining segment plunged 55 percent (y/y) in Q1-2016, while net income in the financial services segment tumbled 46 percent (y/y) over the same period.
State-controlled coal mining company Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam may be the only Indonesian coal producer that will post higher sales in 2016, both in terms of volume and revenue. The nation's other coal miners are expected to see further dropping coal sales due to sluggish global demand although coal prices may stabilize this year. According to Trimegah Securities Bukit Asam's coal sales volume will rise 25 percent (y/y) to 23.9 million tons in 2016, while revenue is estimated to rise 9 percent (y/y) to IDR 15 trillion (approx. USD $1.1 billion), and coal mining operational costs to fall by 3 percent (y/y) to USD $39.8 per ton.
United Tractors, the largest distributor of heavy equipment in Indonesia, is still facing challenges due to persistently weak demand for heavy equipment amid low commodity prices. Business activity in the agribusiness, mining and infrastructure sectors have slowed This context is expected to lead to slowing net profit for the company in both 2015 and 2016. The company, a subsidiary of Astra International (Indonesia's largest diversified conglomerate), controls a market share of around 40 percent in Indonesia's heavy equipment market.
Coal production in Indonesia fell 15.4 percent to 263 million tons in the first eight months of 2015 (from 311 million tons in the same period last year) as Indonesian coal miners cut production due to low global coal demand. Last week it was reported that Indonesia’s reference thermal coal price hit another all-time low at USD $58.21 per metric ton (FOB), down 1.6 percent from the August reference rate, and the fifth consecutive month of decline. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s coal exports fell 18 percent to 211 million tons (y/y) in the January-August period.
In the 2000s many Indonesian companies diversified their business to include coal mining (or shifting their core business to coal mining altogether) due to lucrative opportunities amid the 2000s commodities boom. However, since 2009 mining companies have had to face tough times. Especially since 2011 commodity prices have shown a declining trend and there remains little hope of a rebound on the short term as the sluggish global economic growth trend persists, particularly led by the economic slowdown in China.
The government of Indonesia is eager to use current low coal prices as the context to push for consolidation in the country’s coal mining sector. Sudirman Said, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, announced that the government may revoke over 4,000 troubled mining licenses this month and install a better licensing system. Licenses that may be revoked are Mining Business Permits (IUPs), not the long-standing Coal Contracts of Work (PKP2B) that are held by companies such as Bumi Resources and Berau Coal Energy.
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