6/28/2005 Jakarta - Interest in investment in the production of biodieselfuel oil in Indonesia is still too low, so that the development of theCPO-based fuel has been progressing at a snail's pace, a cabinet memberhas said.

"Businessmen are rather reluctant to invest in CPO-based bio- fuel oilbecause its price is much higher than that of petroleum-based diesel oil,especially now that diesel oil in Indonesia is still subsidized," Ministerof Agriculture Anton Apriyanto said here on Friday.

According to him, it is time to consider CPO-based biofuel oil toeventually replace fossil fuel oil.

He said further that many advanced countries in Europe were alreadyinterested in developing CPO-based biofuel oil for which they have askedIndonesia to supply Europe 1 million tons of crude palm oil.

The request has therefore caused an increase in the price of CPO in theworld, Anton said.

On the market prospects of CPO-based biofuel oil in Indonesia, theminister said that the market was very large in view of the vast number ofmotor vehicles in the country in need of fuel oil, especially cheaperkind.

The government as well as the media could assist in marketing CPO-basedbiofuel oil, by familiaring motorists on the benefits and lower prices ofthe new commodity.