26/08/05 JAKARTA, (Asia Pulse) - The prices of crude palm oil (CPO) ininternational markets are expected to continue to rise despite the harvestseason next month, the association of palm oil companies (Gapki) said.

Gapki chairman Derom Bangun said normally grand harvest will be followedby lower prices but the harvest in September will not result inoversupply.

The harvest in September will not produce a large supply after the"fairly" big harvest in June, when production was estimated to increase 5per cent-10 per cent, Bangun said.

He pointed out the prices of CPO have continued to scale up toward the endof this month.

He predicted the prices of CPO in September will be around US$405-US$410per ton.

Indonesia is the second largest producer of palm oil in the world afterMalaysia.

(ANTARA)