RI soybean imports up

RI soybean imports up

WASHINGTON (Reuter): A U.S. agricultural attache pegged
Indonesia 1996/97 soybean imports at 800,000 tonnes, up from a
previous estimate of 770,000 tonnes, due to reduced domestic
soybean output and higher consumption.

Soybean imports from the United States in 1996/97 are forecast
to rise approximately 12 percent, to about 780,000 tonnes, due
mainly to lack of supplies from China and a preference for U.S.
soybeans compared to soybeans from Brazil or Argentina, the
attache said in a report dated April 24 and released here
Tuesday.

The attache said the continued availability of the GSM-102
credit guarantee program was instrumental in assuring continued
preferences for and purchases of U.S. soybeans.

The attache also revised upwards an estimate for Indonesia
1996/97 soybean meal imports to 1.05 million tonnes from 1.00
million tonnes, citing the expected increase in the domestic
consumption by local feedmills and lower prices for soybean meal
compared with other protein meal sources.