JAKARTA, April 15 Asia Pulse - The CPO (crude palm oil) production of PTAstra Agro Lestari Tbk (AALI) in the first quarter of 2004 increased by30.5 per cent from 140,910 tons in last year's corresponding period to183,956 tons, which includes 71,787 tons (39 per cent) of super CPO.

An AALI monthly report received by ANTARA here on Wednesday said the CPOproduction increase in the first quarter exceeded the growth rate at 10-15per cent, thanks to an increase in the roduction of fresh fruit bunches.

Super CPO production during this period also increased by 90.4 per centfrom 37,697 tons, and the production of fresh fruit bunches also increasedby 27.9 per cent to 723,022 tons as the result of an increase in theharvest of fresh fruit bunches from 3.1 tons to 3.9 tons per hectare.