"Member-countries deliberated on the details of the coffee retention plan at the Association of Coffee-Producing Countries (ACPC) meeting. Other possible measures to bolster the scheme were also considered. Foremost among these was the possibility of setting up QETs," ACPC sources said.

The QET proposal was mooted by Colombia, world's second largest producer of coffee after Brazil. It suggested QETs to be in line with production estimates and to take effect as early as the current quarter, they said.A preliminary evaluation of the retention plan has revealed that it has failed to shore up prices, compelling the ACPC to consider other means to control falling prices. Some countries, including India, are believed to have expressed concern over setting up of such export targets in a liberalised market, sources said. They added that since the member-countries failed to arrive at a consensus on the issue, no final decision was taken at the meeting. The ACPC met in London for a day-long discussion on international markets and to monitor the progress of the retention plan. The talks were well-attended with both Brazil's Agriculture Minister and Columbia's Finance Minister present.

The plan had been proposed by Brazil in June last to shore up the depressed prices caused by surplus stocks vis-a-vis of the Latin American variety in the international market. Other Latin American countries had begun its implementation with the beginning of the coffee season in October 2000.

The plan did not have much of an impact on the price situation, and Indonesia refused to make any commitments on the issue.

(PTI)Last fortnight the ACPC set Jakarta a deadline for taking a decision. u