JAKARTA (May 06 2003) : An Asean Vegetable Oils Club (AVOC) meeting,scheduled for May 10 on the resort island of Bali, has been postponed dueto concerns over the deadly Sars virus, an industry official said onMonday.

"The meeting has been cancelled because many wouldn't attend due to theSars outbreak," said the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI)official, who declined to be identified.

The official added that a new date had yet to be set.

The flu-like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has killed more than 445people and infected 6,700 world-wide, with Asia the worst-hit region.

Indonesia has reported two probable Sars cases so far, with no casesconfirmed and no deaths.

AVOC is an international trade club that co-operates in vegetable oilssuch as coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil.

Its members include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand andVietnam.

GAPKI will hold an extraordinary meeting on May 9 in Jakarta instead ofBali, where it was originally planned.-Reuters