23/02/2011 (Bloomberg) - Soyabean-oil exports jumped to a record in the October-January period as shipments of rival palm oil decreased, Oil World said.

Global soya-oil exports rose 38 percent from a year earlier to 3.36 million metric tons in the four months ended Jan. 31, the researcher estimated in a report today. The three largest shippers exported 2.73 million tons, 44 percent more than the prior year, it said. Iran bought 333,000 tons, up more than 23- fold from the year-earlier 14,000 tons, and China’s purchases gained 28 percent, Oil World said.

Exports from Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. rose 22 percent to 553,000 tons in January, the report showed. Shipments to the European Union almost tripled to 22,000 tons, those to Africa more than doubled to 181,000 tons and exports to North and South American countries rose 50 percent to 132,000 tons, Oil World said.

“The major reasons for this increase are to be seen in the shortfall of world exports of palm oil caused by insufficient production in Malaysia, Indonesia and Colombia and higher soya- oil import requirements in several countries,” the researcher said. “Soy-oil exports to Iran exceeded our expectations.”

Soya-oil futures gained 47 percent in the past year on the Chicago Board of Trade. Prices surged on Feb. 10 to the highest level since July 2008 on stronger demand.

Rapeseed, or canola, purchases will fall 15 percent in the second half of the marketing year from the first half because of a lack of exportable supplies as EU countries increase imports, Oil World said.

World imports of rapeseed from January through June will total 4.9 million tons, down from 5.8 million tons in the prior six months, the researcher said. EU nations will buy 2.5 million tons in the marketing year through June, 15 percent above a previous estimate and more than the year-earlier 2.18 million tons, Oil World said.