Bob Kamandanu, Berau’s commissioner and the chairman of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI), said Berau signed a five-year deal with Huaneng Power International and a three-year contract with Zhushui Energy Resource Group. It will sell 1.5 million tons of coal annually to each company.

“Coal demand from China is growing significantly, and Chinese companies are mainly looking for long-term contracts,” Kamandanu said on Friday.

Huaneng Power is China’s largest electricity producer, while Zhushui focuses on coal imports.

Indonesia’s coal output is expected to climb this quarter after wet weather in the first quarter saw it drop to 89 million tons. Kamandanu said output should increase to 95 million tons in the second quarter before falling back to 85 million tons in the following two quarters.

The dry season is expected to start in most areas in Indonesia around May or June, offering a timely boost to the country’s agricultural and mineral sectors.

“Higher production would go into the export market, but the weather has been very unpredictable over the past few years so it’s hard to say if there will be enough dry months ahead for miners to be able to ramp up production,” a Singapore-based trader said.