Archived News

SUPPLY / DEMAND MAY HELP CANADA CANOLA FARMERS - ANALYST

Govt agrees to palm oil biomass for power project28 February 2001 - THE Government has, in principle, agreed to the palmoil biomass project for the generation of power although electricityproduced this way may be priced slightly higher than that of gas, Energy,Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Amar Leo Moggie said.

India's soyoil imports seen rising on lower dutyNEW DELHI, Feb 28 (Reuters) - India's soybean oil imports are likely toincrease following the government's decision to raise import duties on allvegetable oils and leave soyoil duties unchanged in the 2001/02 budget,traders said on Wednesday.

Oil palm industry feeling the pinch of low prices

Palm oil subsidy for industriesMonday, 26 February 2001 : The Government will subsidise palm oil used bypower plants and the industrial sector to help stabilise the price of thecommodity, Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said.

Palm trees farming encouraged

Guthrie presses ahead with Indon estate deal Thursday, February 22, 2001 - Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd will proceed with itsUS$350mil (RM1.33bil) deal to purchase 25 oil palm plantations in Indonesia from the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (Ibra) despiteprotests by residents claiming ownership over parts of the land to besold.Guthrie chief executive officer Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said therehad been no communication from Ibra about renegotiation of the deal asreported recently.

India may hike duty on crucial farm items

Meeting on palm oil exporters' transport woes

Palm oil exporters will have to opt for local linesBusiness Times - 14 February 2001LOCAL palm oil exporters, scheduled to meet Transport Ministry officialstoday to address their problem of securing bulk tankers, have to opt forlocal lines' services even though their foreign counterparts offer cheaperrates.

Philippines sees higher 01 coconut outputMANILA, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The Philippines said on Monday it expected agood harvest of coconuts this year and next, limiting the recovery of theprice of coconut oil in the world market. Philippine Coconut Authority(PCA) administrator Eduardo Escueta told reporters the full impact of arecurrence of the El Nino weather pattern, which local meteorologists saymay hit the country in the fourth quarter, would only be felt by 2003. ElNino is the Pacific weather phenomenon blamed for causing drought inSoutheast Asia in 1998.Escueta said the Philippines, the world's largest exporter of coconut oil,was likely to produce between 2.2 and 2.3 million tonnes of coconuts incopra terms this year from about 2.0 million in 2000. Copra is driedcoconut meat from which oil is extracted. "In terms of production, it willstill be good in 2002," Escueta said, adding it takes at least a year forcoconut farms to show the impact of an El Nino.Escueta said he expected coconut oil exports to reach between 1.2 and 1.3million tonnes in 2001 with prices averaging $350-400 per tonne at FOB,from an estimated 1.1 million tonnes with prices averaging $300-325 pertonne FOB last year.The expected recovery in price, despite increase in supply, is due toconsumers resuming purchases of coconut oil. Last year, buyers switched toother vegetable oils on fears of lower production from the Philippines,Escueta said. Escueta said the PCA would release actual copra output for2000 later this month, and the government's updated forecast for thisyear.

The global oilseeds production estimate was increased for both 1999/2000and 2000/01 to 303.5 and 305.2 million tons, respectively.