REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDALLAMPUNG -- Lampung recorded an increase in its exports of robusta coffee beans to 9,896 tons valued at US$16.25 million in February 2016 from 8,418 tons worth US$14 million in January.

Exports rose as farmers and traders held large stock of the beans, head of the provincial trade office Ferynia, said here on Tuesday.

In addition, exporters have more orders to meet under contract from abroad, Ferynia said.

He said farmers and exporters hold substantial volume in stocks although it was not yet time for grand harvest.

Grand harvest is expected to begin in the middle of the year in July to last until September, he said.

The selling price by farmers in Lampung at present is still less than Rp19,000 per kilogram.

The farmers hoped the price to rise to at least Rp20,000 per kg, a farmer Suudi in the village of Way Harong, regency of Tanggamus, said.

"The price of Rp20,000 per kilogram is considered reasonable to encourage the farmers," Suudi said.

The cost of production and cost of taking care the crop such as fertilizing are high, he said.

"The problem here is shortage of fertilizer especially urea fertilizer ," he said.

The price of coffee, however, is determined more by the prices in international market such as the London Commodity Exchange, another farmer Suparno said.

"We are the producers, but they set the prices," he said.

Lampung is one of the largest coffee producing provinces in the country.

Indonesia is the fourth largest producers of coffee beans in the world after Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia and the world's second largest producer of robusta coffee after Vietnam.

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