PERUM PEGADAIAN'S TURNOVER PREDICTED TO RISE

Jakarta, May 26 (ANTARA) - State pawn company Perum Pegadaian predicts its loan turnover will rise 10 to 20 percent ahead of the new school year.

"Entering the new school year people will need fast cash funds and usually they will come to the pawn shops for the money," the company's spokesman, Irianto, said here on Monday.

He said the increase ahead of the new school year was like a tradition. "Besides ahead of holiday seasons or harvest seasons the company's turnover tends to rise ahead of the new school year," he said.

Therefore, he said, the company was always preparing itself to meet the public's increased need for cash.

In the first three months of this year the company's turnover reached Rp10.6 trillion or Rp3.53 trillion a month on average. The figures would rise 10 to 20 ahead of the new school year.

Irianto said the main factor driving the people to come to the company ahead of the new school year was the quick disbursement of loans the company could provide.

"It takes only 15 minutes to disburse a loan," he said.