The Indonesia Nickel Miners Association (APNI) disclosed that the government-approved 2025 Work Plans and Budgets (RKAB) production volume stands at 364 million tonnes, exceeding the 2024 target of 319 million tonnes. APNI Secretary-General Meidy Katrin Lengkey confirmed this during an interview with CNBC Indonesia's Mining Zone Special Dialogue program on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
However, Meidy lamented that the high RKAB qota does not align with market absorption. In 2024, only 220 million tonnes of the 319-million-tonne RKAB quota were absorbed by the market. According to her records, actual ore absorption reached merely 120 million tonnes by June, with H1 figures at 50–65 million tonnes in Q1 and 60–65 million tonnes in Q2. This shortfall--exacerbated by monsoon disruptions in key producing regions like Sulawesi--remains far below capacity projections. Meidy anticipates nickel ore consumption will fall short of this year's approved output by year-end.
Meidy emphasized that while miners submit RKABs based on available reserves, the government should calibrate approvals to balance output with market demand. Aligning production with actual consumption capacity must be prioritized, she asserted.
Written by Cora Ji, jiruyan@mysteel.com
