PT Pusri Optimistic to Reach Production Target

Palembang, S Sumatra (Antara) - State-owned fertilizer producer PT Pupuk Sriwidjaja in Palembang, South Sumatra said it is optimistic it would reach its production target of 2.05 million tons of urea fertilizer this year. "Until mid December, this year, production already reached 1.9 million tons of urea fertilizer, its public relation manager Sulfa Ghanie said here on Thursday. Sulfa said the four factories of PT Pusri have operated fully producing urea and ammonia reaching their targets from month to month. "The process of production has been smooth with almost no hurdles although the four factories are no longer new," he said. He said the condition of the factories has caused concern as they are too old , adding, it is doubted that they could last for long. The newest among the factories is Factory IB coming on line in 1994, and the oldest is Pusri II built in 1974. He said the company plans to revitalize the factories by phases to keep them in operation. Currently , a new factory - Pusri IIB - is under construction to replace Pusri II as part of the revitalization program, he said. The new factory will have a production capacity of 2,000 tons of ammonia per day or 660,000 tons per year, and 907,500 tons of urea fertilizer per year. Construction began in April 2013 and the process is progressing as expected that it would be operational in December 2015. The new factory will bring the company's total production capacity to 2.61 million tons of urea fertilizer per year. The increase in capacity is expected to be able to keep pace with growing consumption in its nine marketing areas . The nine areas include South Sumatra, Lampung, Bangka Belitung, Jambi, Bengkulu, Banten, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Central Java. (*)