17/1/05 KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Malaysia's crude palm oil production isforecast to rise around 2% from 2004's actual output to 14.24 million tonsin 2005, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.According to data on the government-run MPOB's Web site, CPOproduction in 2004 totaled 13.98 million tons, up 4.7% from 2003.The MPOB said the final 2004 output figure was 2.3% higher than itsinitial projection of 13.66 million tons.It didn't provide reasons for the better-than-forecast 2004 figuresnor for the expected growth in 2005.The following is a breakdown of the MPOB's actual and forecast figuresfor 2004 and 2005 by months:

(all in metric tons)2004 2005Month Forecast Actual Forecast

January 1,000,456 876,496 988,300February 871,549 862,554 873,700March 1,011,144 940,750 1,015,200April 1,046,497 1,008,723 1,097,300May 1,118,542 1,099,299 1,192,500June 1,145,120 1,170,655 1,188,700July 1,225,191 1,271,455 1,293,200August 1,261,838 1,322,137 1,404,600September 1,286,473 1,488,215 1,433,800October 1,234,006 1,362,323 1,334,600November 1,190,141 1,259,896 1,287,100December 1,272,042 1,313,679 1,133,300Total 13,662,999 13,976,182 14,242,300

MPOB's Web site: http://www.mpob.gov.my/