10/4/07 (Business Times)  - PALM oil exports rose 29.87 per cent to 1.051 million tonnes in March this year compared to 809,533 tonnes the previous month.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said palm kernel cake exports went up 24.13 per cent to 190,503 tonnes compared to 153,476 tonnes previously.

In the same period, oleochemical exports increased 18.30 per cent to 192,268 tonnes from 162,522 tonnes but palm kernel oil exports dropped 33.24 per cent to 68,524 tonnes from 102,637 tonnes previously.

The fresh fruit bunch price (one per cent equivalent) increased 1.80 per cent to RM20.33 per tonne in March 2007 from RM19.97 per tonne in the previous month, MPOB said in a statement.

Production of crude palm oil (CPO) in Peninsular Malaysia rose 17.42 per cent to 598,810 tonnes in March 2007 from 509,991 tonnes the previous month, the board said.

CPO production in Sabah declined 0.81 per cent to 381,805 tonnes from 384,933 tonnes while production in Sarawak was up 6.14 per cent to 100,238 tonnes from 94,436 tonnes previously.

Palm kernel output increased 9.22 per cent to 289,093 tonnes in March 2007 from 264,694 tonnes. Crude palm kernel oil production rose 22.84 per cent to 153,641 tonnes from 125,073 tonnes previously.

During the same period, palm kernel cake production climbed 22.33 per cent to 173,214 tonnes from 141,601 tonnes previously.

Total palm oil stock fell 10.61 per cent to 1.335 million tonnes in March 2007 from 1.493 million tonnes the previous month, MPOB said.

CPO stock dropped 26.59 per cent to 663,889 tonnes in the same period from 904,308 tonnes previously while processed palm oil stock rose 13.89 per cent to 671,455 tonnes from 589,549 tonnes. — Bernama