Archived News

Monday September 27, 3:23 AM - BOMBAY (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oilfutures are expected to fall to 1,300 ringgit a tonne in coming monthsfrom about 1,450 ringgit recently, on rising world supply and slow demand,a leading analyst said on Sunday.

Monday, September 27 2004 - BURSA Malaysia Bhd is expected tointroduce new measures to encourage more active trading of its crude palmkernel futures contract and Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) options.

YANGON, 26 Sept - Officials reported on paddy cultivation, local foodsufficiency and land reclamation. The agricultural target of TaninthayiDivision is to ensure local food sufficiency and to put lands under500,000 acres of oil palm, 200,000 acres of rubber and 26,000 acres ofpepper. In the mining sector, 223.2254 metric tons of mineral, 359,273.67metric tons of coal, 13,685.91 momme of pearl, 19.944 metric tons ofoyster shell could be produced up to 15 September. Local and foreignentrepreneurs are being invited to extend mineral production. In the meatand fish sector, 28,185.01 tons of fist and prawn could be produced up tothe end of September 2004. And, efforts are being made for breeding ofprawn in 15,000 acres of ponds.

24/09/04 MANILA (Dow Jones)--World coconut oil prices are unchanged toslightly lower this week following an improvement in copra supply andbearish influence from the soy oil market, traders said.Traders said that bearish fundamentals in the soy oil market, courtesyof a bumper soybean crop in the U.S., is exerting pressure on the coconutoil market.One trader said that improvement in copra deliveries as manifested byhigher exports this September is also putting pressure on prices.Philippine exports of coconut oil this month are projected to reach112,000 metric tons, substantially higher from the previous month'sexports of only 75,000 tons."It (export volume) speaks of improvement in our copra supplysituation, which is why there's a slight pressure on prices," one tradersaid.Traders said that bearish fundamentals in the coconut oil market werecushioned by strong domestic demand for palm kernel oil in Malaysia.Manila-based traders quoted coconut oil for August/September shipmentat $675 a metric ton, CIF basis, Rotterdam, unchanged from prices quoted aweek ago.The September/October shipment was quoted at $662.50/ton whileOctober/November delivery was offered at $655/ton. These prices areslightly lower from prices offered last week.Traders said prices are likely to edge lower next week on continuingpressure from the soy oil market.The Philippines is the world's biggest shipper of coconut oil. Exportsthis year are expected to reach 1.02 million tons, slightly lower comparedto 1.2 million tons in 2003.

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Sept 23 Asia Pulse - The country,s palmoil industry may yet develop another 4,000 hectares for plantation inCentral Mindanao within the next 12 months.

September 21, 2004 JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--Indonesia's PT Astra Agro Lestariexpects the country's crude palm oil exports to India to rise by 5%-10%following India's decision to lower CPO tariff values by $50 a metric ton,Bisnis Indonesia reported Tuesday.A downward revision in tariff values, from which import taxes arecalculated, has effectively lowered the import tax on CPO in India.Benny Tjoeng, vice president of Astra Agro Lestari, was quoted assaying the change will boost India's CPO consumption, as it will makethe commodity cheaper."The price of CPO in India (will decline) by $32 a ton" as a result ofthe move, he said.India has been the company's largest market for CPO, taking in around10,000 tons a month, Tjoeng said.However, he said the company has no plans to increase its exports toIndia, as it plans to keep domestic and export sales around the samelevel.Indonesia is the world's second largest CPO producer after Malaysia.The government has predicted production will reach 11 million tons thisyear, buoyed by a steady increase in plantation area to 4.6 millionhectares.According to the Indonesian Palm Oil Association, or Gapki, Indonesiaproduced 9.9 million tons of CPO in 2003, while the Indonesian governmentputs the figure at 10.6 million tons.

New Delhi , Sept. 22 - THE confusion over what is the duty applicable onimported crude palm oil (CPO) consignments not meeting the minimum 500-mgper kg of total carotenoids specification, shows no signs of abatement.

September 21, 2004 - KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--United Plantations Bhd.(2089.KU) may sell its 46% stake worth 1.1 billion ringgit ($1=MYR3.80) inAarhus United (AARUTD.K) of Denmark, a vegetable oils and specialty fatsmanufacturer, the daily New Straits Times reports.

22/09/04 KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Asian cash palm oil prices were mixedWednesday, with the Malaysian market extending declines amid persistentpressure from technical selling and weak market sentiment.However, buying interest improved in Malaysia, as recent sharp fallstriggered some fresh demand at lower levels.Palm oil prices have been on the decline for the better part ofSeptember, dragged down mainly by losses in soyoil futures.At the Chicago Board of Trade, soyoil futures have dropped around 400points so far this month, on signs that U.S. soybean production this yearmay be among the highest ever seen, contrary to earlier talk of a poorcrop.The benchmark CPO futures contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivativeshas fallen close to 200 ringgit ($1=MYR3.8) since early September. At 0728GMT, the contract was at MYR1,406/ton, down MYR10 from Tuesday afterbriefly falling below the MYR1,400 psychological support level.Trading activity in the cash market, which was sluggish in the pastfew days, improved Wednesday as buying interest for palm oil products forOctober and November/December delivery emerged."Now that prices have come off quite a bit, the interest is comingback," a trader said, adding that there were indications of renewed demandfrom consumers."Some of the traders who are buying are quite big suppliers to India,"the trader said.Despite the buying interest, the market was still weak, as there wasstill aggressive selling pressure, led by a major international tradinghouse.Traders said technical indicators suggest the potential for furtherdeclines for the rest of the week following the breach of the MYR1,400support level in the futures market Wednesday.They said the supply and demand outlook also appears slightly bearish."Production is good. People are saying it could be around 1.5 million(tons) in September, and October will also be a good production month," atrader said, adding that exports may struggle to keep pace withproduction.In the cash market, RBD palm olein for October shipment was offered at$440.00/ton, down $5/ton from Tuesday.RBD palm oil for October shipment was offered at $430.00/ton, alsodown $5/ton.In Indonesia, fresh buying interest also emerged following recentlosses, with RBD palm olein in Jakarta offered at 4,550 rupiah($1=IDR9,150) a kilogram, up IDR50 from Tuesday.CPO in Medan was offered at IDR3,850/kg, up IDR49 compared with theprice traded during Tuesday's government auction.

Thursday September 23, 2004 - WEATHER will again be the key factor thatcould drive crude palm oil (CPO) prices higher going forward.

9/21/2004 - BUSINESS TIMES (MALAYSIA) - A CONSORTIUM of local privatecompanies plans to set up Malaysia's first palm oil-based diesel plantwithin the next three months, with Europe as its main target market.

9/22/2004 THAI PRESS REPORTS - In the first announcement of annualresults since Univanich was listed on the SET in November 2003, Chairman,Mr. Apirag Vanich, noted that strong growth in Thailand's oil palmindustry has assisted the Company in achieving several new growthmilestones. "Thailand's production of palm fruit increased to 4.8 milliontonnes in 2003 with most of the growth in the small farmer sector. Thisenabled Univanich to also increase its production since the Companypurchased 76% of its fruit from outside growers " said Mr. Vanich. "Due tothis increasing production from our fruit suppliers Univanich factoriesreached the significant milestone of more than 500,000 tonnes fruitprocessed in one year, an increase of 18.6% over the previous year. Thisis the maximum of the Company's present capacity and a new factory isalready under construction for opening in the 4th quarter of 2004" hesaid.