10/12/2012 (Business Times) - Palm oil exports from Indonesia, the world's largest producer, will probably drop to the lowest level in five months in December as a global economic slowdown curbs demand, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Shipments may fall 3 per cent to 1.55 million tonnes from an estimated 1.6 million tonnes in November, according to the median of estimates from two traders, a plantation executive, refiner and an analyst compiled by Bloomberg. Inventories may remain unchanged at three million tonnes, the survey showed. Production may drop to 2.51 million tonnes from 2.54 million, four of the respondents said.

Palm oil, used in everything from soaps to candy to biofuels, has slumped 24 per cent since the end of August as a decline in demand from Europe and China boosted stockpiles in Indonesia and Malaysia, the top growers. The commodity will probably tumble into a bear market next year as monthly output in Malaysia and Indonesia surges to records, according to Dorab Mistry, director at Godrej International Ltd.

"Demand from Europe is still weak especially for biodiesel," Sahat Sinaga, executive director of the Indonesian Vegetable Oil Industry Association, said by phone from Jakarta. "We could see demand picking up in the first quarter with India maintaining its import tariff and recovery in China. It will help boost prices."

Futures in Kuala Lumpur, the global benchmark, may rally to RM2,700 (S$1078) a tonne by January, Mr Sinaga said. The commodity will trade between RM2,300 and RM2,600 a tonne between now and February, and drop below RM2,200 in August or earlier, Godrej's Mr Mistry told a conference on Nov 30.

The contract for February delivery rose 0.5 per cent to close at RM2,295 a tonne on the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange on Thursday.

Futures have lost 28 per cent this year, set for the biggest annual loss since the financial crisis in 2008.

Food demand for palm oil "is still relatively stable because palm is cheap compared with other oils," said Hariyanto Wijaya, an analyst at PT Mandiri Sekuritas. Exports typically slow in December because of year-end holidays, he said.

Indonesia's exports this month would be the lowest since July, when they reached 1.51 million tonnes, according to data from the palm oil association, known as Gapki. Shipments were 1.8 million tonnes and 1.5 million tonnes in November and December of last year, data showed. Gapki, which releases monthly export data, doesn't publish stockpiles and production figures.

Malaysia's inventories probably held near a record last month as production exceeded exports, according to another Bloomberg survey. Stockpiles were 2.5 million tonnes compared with 2.51 million tonnes in October, according to the median of estimates from four analysts and two plantation executives. Output probably fell 5.7 per cent to 1.83 million tonnes, while exports gained 1.7 per cent to 1.79 million tonnes, the survey showed. - Bloomberg