Astra Agro suspends operation in Aceh

Astra Agro suspends operation in Aceh

JAKARTA: PT Astra Agro Lestari, Indonesia's biggest
agricultural company by value, suspended operation of its unit in
Aceh province after an earthquake off Sumatra island and the
resulting tsunamis damaged roads.

The roads linked the company's 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres)
of oil palm plantations near Meulaboh in West Aceh to the nearest
port, Tjahyo Dwi Ariantono, Astra Agro's head of investor
relation, said in a phone interview from Medan in North Sumatra.

"The plantation itself is fine but the roads are completely
damaged," Ariantono said. "Besides, our facility is now housing
refugees from nearby areas and we decided to focus on relief
efforts."

The effect on the Jakarta-based company's total output "should
be small," he said, without giving details. --Bloomberg