Indonesian state firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara II (PTPN II) said on Wednesday it may not meet its plan to import 60,000 tonnes of raw sugar this year because it had not secured importers for the total amount. Importing firm Usaha Baru would buy only 20,000 tonnes of Thai raw sugar for mid-November arrivals, said Hari Subagio, a company official in charge of seeking importers via an open tender.
News of the lower purchase and other cancellations would make it harder for Southeast Asia's biggest sugar consumer to bring down domestic sugar prices. PTPN II is among the state firms, which obtained permits to buy raw sugar to be processed into white sugar for direct consumption.