NO HEAVY COFFEE EXPORT IMPLIED-COLOMBIA OFFICIAL
A decision by Colombia to open coffee
export registrations for an unlimited amount does not imply the
country will heavily sell coffee until recently withheld,
Gilberto Arango, president of the private exporters'
association, told Reuters.
    Colombia today opened export registrations for april and
may, with the National Coffee Growers' Federation setting no
limit.
    Since the start of the coffee year last october, private
exporters were on average allowed 350,000 bags of 60 kilos per
month.
    "Traders will initially interpret this measure as announcing
heavy sales. Even today it pressured the market. But it will
quickly become apparent that Colombia does not intend to go
over the top," Arango said in an interview.
    "Colombia's marketing policy is to sell without haste but
consistently. No targets for volume will be set. We will react
to market factors adequately. Colombia has no intention to give
its coffee away," he added.
    Arango described measures adopted here yesterday, including
a lower export registration price, as a major change in
Colombia's coffee marketing policy.
    The export registration price, or reintegro, was lowered to
1.10 dlr per lb ex-dock new york, or 155.83 dlrs per bag of 70
kilos, from 1.35 dlrs (194.33 dlrs).
    The government announced a more flexible policy of
reintegro, in order to closely reflect market trends, which
arango warmly welcomed saying private exporters will
undoubtedly be more actively present in the market.
    A frequent gap between international market prices and the
reintegro was unlikely to recur, he said.
 Reuter
