Indonesia 2019 cocoa bean imports seen at 280,000-300,000 T

JAKARTA: Indonesia is estimated to import 280,000 to 300,000 tonnes of cocoa beans next year, Indonesian Cocoa Industry Association told Reuters on Thursday.

It would be an increase from 2018's estimated imports of 260,000 tonnes, Sindra Wijaya, secretary general of the Association, said in an interview on Thursday. In 2017, the country imported 226,613 tonnes of cocoa beans, the Association data showed.

Local cocoa industry is expected to mill 5-10 percent higher volume of beans next year, from this year's 500,000 tonnes amid higher demand for chocolate products.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is expected to produce lower cocoa beans this year at 230,000 tonnes due to declining yield for the country's aging trees. That compared to around 260,000 tonnes of beans produced last year.