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For week ending Jan. 19, 2006 |
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PHILIPPINE COCO OUTPUT UP IN 2006
Philippine coconut production in 2006 has been projected by UCAP at 2.663 million MT copra terms. This is a modest rise by 4.3% when compared with the previous year total estimated at 2.552 million MT. Much of the increase will be felt in the second half of the year based on rainfall pattern in the previous year. Correspondingly, export has been projected to increase by 3.6% to 2.169 million MT copra terms from 2.093 million MT a year ago. Export of coconut oil is anticipated at 1.130 million MT which is slightly higher by 3.1% compared to 2005 level estimated at 1.096 million MT. Copra meal export is predicted to rise as well by 4.6% to 400,000 MT from 382,549 MT. Desiccated coconut is projected to record a limited decline of 3.2% to 113,000 MT from 116,722 MT, mainly as supply from Sri Lanka is expected to normalize after experiencing sharp fall in coconut harvest. Oleochemical export is projected to climb 15.5% to 200,000 MT copra terms from 173,228 MT initial estimate for 2005. NEW POMA OFFICERSAt the recent Board Meeting of the Philippine Oleochemical Manufacturers Association (POMA) held on December 12, 2005, Mr. Dean Lao, Jr., operations manager for D & L Industries, Inc., was elected president of the organization for the year 2006 term. Also elected were: Mr. Benny Rae Hurtado of Pilipinas Kao as vice-president, and Atty. Joji Milan of Sakamoto Orient Chemicals as treasurer. Apart from above companies, the following are members of POMA: Senbel Fine Chemicals, represented by Mr. Jose Ermelo Santos, president; and United Coconut Chemicals, represented by Mr. Nathaniel Ching, vice-president for marketing. SRI LANKAN DESICCATED COCONUT EXPORT UP IN OCTOBER 2005Figures from the Coconut Development Authority show Sri Lanka’s export of desiccated coconut in October 2005 hiked by a hefty 26.3% to 4,951 MT from 3,919 MT in the same month a year earlier. Average traded price during the month was US$922/MT FOB, lower by US$40/MT or 4.2% when compared with year-ago level at US$962/MT. January-October 2005 total is placed at 28,346 MT, a substantial drop by 42.6% from comparable year-ago period figure at 49,383 MT. There were at least 34 country destinations recorded during the month in review which was led by UAE/Dubai with 1,534 MT representing 31.0% of total export. UAR/Egypt was second with 1,027 MT accounting for 20.7%. Ten other countries took in significant volume in the range 102-337 MT namely, in descending order, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Syria, France, Spain, Greece, United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, Iran. The group collectively accounted for 35.8% of total trade. Twenty-two countries shared the remaining12.5% equivalent to 621 MT whose uptake ranged 1-77 MT. ... BUT EXPORT OF COCONUT OIL, COPRA DOWNThe same source indicated that Sri Lankan export of copra in October was 2,013 MT. This is slightly lower by 3.5% compared to 2,087 MT shipped out at the same time year-ago. Pakistan was top destination cornering 1,726 MT representing 85.7% of the market. Others market include India (183 MT), Bangladesh (64 MT), Nepal (21 MT), and Iran (19 MT). Year-to-date export amounted to 13,559 MT, exceeding by 14.2% a similar period year-earlier total at 11,870 MT. Export of coconut oil in October at 102 MT cut earlier year total of 147 MT by 30.6%. Destinations include Bangladesh with 64 MT (62.7% of total), Pakistan with 36 MT (35.3%), and Canada and Saudi Arabia at 1 MT apiece. January-October total stood at 1,222 MT which is 33.7% short of year-ago at 1,843 MT. MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, SET UP JOINT BODY TO REGULATE PALM OIL PRICEThe world’s two major producers of palm oil, Malaysia and Indonesia, agreed last week to set up a joint body which will regulate the international price of palm oil. The agreement was signed by Indonesian-Malaysian Business Council chairman Tanri Abeng and his Malaysian counterpart Ahmad Sarji during a two-day bilateral summit between the two countries in West Sumatra. The body will serve as promotion and marketing center for palm oil. Sarji added that the body would also work to prevent discriminatory crude palm oil duties. Malaysia and Indonesia account for about 85% of world palm oil production while China, the EU, India, Pakistan are major export markets. NEED TO INCREASE RAPESEED CAPACITY CITEDMr.Thomas Mielke of Hamburg, Germany based Oil World recently told participants at the Crop Production Week in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada about the need to boost rapeseed crushing in Europe and Canada to meet growing demand of rapeseed oil from the EU biodiesel sector. He described the global demand for vegetable oil as very strong, particularly for rapeseed and canola oil, adding that while demand from the edible oil side remains strong, it is the biodiesel sector that is primarily driving the market. Production capacity of biodiesel in the EU is growing at the rate of 700,000-800,000 MT annually, according to Mr. Mielke, a rate which EU can not satisfy with its own production thus the need to import. Rapeseed oil is preferred over soya oil for producing biodiesel as it performs better in freezing temperatures, he said. As a result, rapeseed oil prices are currently at a premium US$180-190/MT over soya oil. Though there are ample supplies of rapeseed and canola, there is no sufficient crush capacity; hence the need to expand capacities in EU and Canada. JAPAN TO RELEASE LONG-TERM ENERGY POLICYJapan is due to release its long-term energy policy which would stipulate among others replacing 20% of its oil demand with biofuels and gas-to-liquid fuels (GTLs) by 2030. Analysts, however, believe the targets are extremely optimistic. It was explained that some countries have limited their targets to single digit figures. The European Union, for instance, targets biofuel content at 5.75% by 2010. The draft, according to reports, will be due next month and is expected to specify the 20% target. An unnamed official at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, a unit at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was quoted by Reuters as saying, “It will be the first time to mention in our guideline that our country should replace 20% of petroleum products used now with non-conventional fuels to achieve an objective, for example, bioethanol and GTLs.” The plan, however, has been criticized because (1) the alternative fuels would still have to be imported, and (2) the target 20% is too ambitious. COTTONSEED OIL BEST FOR DEEP FAT FRYING - STUDYA report published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association says that French fries prepared in non-hydrogenated cottonseed oil instead of partially hydrogenated oils are significantly lower in trans fatty acids and thus may be better for consumers’ hearts. The study, which was led by Dr. Darla Daniel and done at the Texas Tech University, found that trans fatty acid content of fresh cottonseed oil was 0.1% compared to 30.1% in partially hydrogenated rapeseed/canola oil and 19.1% in partially hydrogenated soybean oil. While there were no significant differences in crude fat content between the fries cooked in the three oils, the cottonseed-cooked fries still had a lower combined trans fatty and saturated fatty acid level than the two oils. When trans fatty acid and saturated fatty acids were added together, they accounted for 30% of total weight of fries cooked in cottonseed oil, 36% in partially hydrogenated canola oil and 41% in partially hydrogenated soybean oil. PRACTICAL SHORT COURSE ON BIODIESELTexas A&M University will be offering a Practical Short Course on Biodiesel and Industrial Applications of Vegetable Oil on February 12-15, 2006 at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. The short course will include: Methods of Biodiesel Production, Analysis and Quality Control Assurance for Biodiesel, Synthesis of Oleochemicals from Vegetable Oils, Uses of Glycerine. For additional information and registration on line, visit http://www.tamu.edu/food-protein/fatsoils/scbiodiesel.htm |