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A delicate balance for biodiesel mandate
Can palm biodiesel provide quick relief for Malaysia amid Iran war?
Malaysia plans phased expansion of biodiesel programme, minister says
CPO Futures Close Slightly Higher, Tracking Gains In Soybean Oil Prices
EU Is Planning Measures To Protect Biofuels Industry
23/01/2008 (Wall Street Journal) - The European Union will move today to protect its ailing transport-biofuels industry from foreign imports with measures that would force companies to show their fuels are helping the environment more than they are hurting it, according to documents seen by The Wall Street Journal.
UN Warns of Biofuels\' Environmental Risk
23/01/2008 (Associated Press), Bangkok, Thailand — The world's rush to embrace biofuels is causing a spike in the price of corn and other crops and could worsen water shortages and force poor communities off their land, a U.N. official said Wednesday.
POIC seeks RM1b yearly till 2025
23/01/2008 (Daily Express, East Malaysia), Kota Kinabalu - Sabah is seeking RM1 billion from the Federal Government for continued development of the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) in Lahad Datu over the next 18 years as part of the Sabah Development Corridor programme.
India\'s Vegetable Oil Imports This Year May Rise 5%, Group Says
22/01/2008 (Bloomberg) - India, the world's second-biggest buyer of vegetable oils, may import 5 percent more of the commodity to boost supplies as domestic oilseed production falls, a trade body said.
Pact with Asean next year
23/01/2008 (The Telegraph), New Delhi - India today expressed confidence that a free trade agreement (FTA) with the 10-member Asean would become operational by January 2009.
ASEAN softens approach to strike FTA with India
22/01/2008 (The Economic Times), New Delhi - After a series of compromises made by India to remove the hitches blocking the India-Asean free trade agreement (FTA), Asean too seems to be doing its bit in the last leg of the negotiations. In its fresh proposals on duty cuts for the five crucial agricultural products holding up the agreement, it has gone down considerably from its earlier demands.
India hopes to conclude FTA with ASEAN by March
23/01/2008 (The Economic Times), New Delhi - A free trade agreement between India and 10-nation ASEAN is likely to be operationalised by January 2009, with negotiations expected to conclude by March this year, Commerce Secretary Gopal Pillai said on Wednesday.
Govt yet to decide on edible oil duty cut
18/01/2008 (The Hindu), New Delhi - The government on Friday said it has not yet decided on reducing the customs duty on imported edible oils such as palm oil and soya oil.
Palm oil industry prepares geen initiative to counter criticism
18/01/2008 (Mongabay.com) - Global food and consumer goods giants are backing a plan to certify that palm oil is produced in a way that doesn't drive destruction of tropical rainforests, reports The Wall Street Journal. The move comes as the palm industry is facing increasing scrutiny -and consumer backlash - for its practices which scientists say are driving large-scale destruction of forests across Indonesia and Malaysia, resulting in massive greenhouse gas emissions.
