Indonesia may miss 17 mln tonne palm oil target

"Our crude palm oil production this year is estimated to reach 16.8 million tonnes, still up from 16 million tonnes last year. However, we may miss the target due to dry weather in early 2007," trade minister Mari Pangestu told reporters.

Malaysia is estimated to produce less than 16 million tonnes of palm oil this year due to lack of new land to be used for planting.

Initially, the Indonesian government and industry officials had forecast the country's crude palm oil production in 2007 would reach 17.4 million tonnes, supported by maturing plants and plantation expansion.