The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is committed to ensuring sufficient world oil supply and will not hesitate to increase output if needed, OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Thursday in Jakarta.

"OPEC agrees to increase production by 1.5 million to 2 million barrels per day if necessary. OPEC members also have taken moves to ensure that the world oil supply is safe," Purnomo was quoted by Detikcom online news service as saying.

But Purnomo said the recent hike in oil price, hovering at around 50 US dollars per barrel, was not caused by imbalance between supply and demand.

He pointed out that among other things, political chaos in Iraq -- whose potential output is about 2.8 million barrels per day -- as the main cause behind the sharp hike in oil price.

"OPEC ministers will continue communicating to curb the price," said Purnomo, who is also Indonesia's energy minister.