Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said at the recently concluded Asia Biofuel Investment Summit 2009 that incentives provided by the Biofuels Act spurred strong investor interests in the sunshine biofuels industry. As a result, from two plants in 2004, there are now 11 biofuel plants operating in the country. In addition, more than a dozen companies have signified their intention to join the industry which would amount to about $1.1 billion in new investments.

       Secretary Reyes noted that two years into implementation of the of the National Biofuels Program, the Energy Department is still improving the ?rules of engagement? in order to fast-track investments in the biofuels industry. ?The department is currently studying even further increases in the blend percentages, giving careful consideration to the availability of feedstock and the resulting final prices,? Reyes said.

       Businessman Eric Rabat and Dr. Rene Sumaoang of the Novatech Group of Companies joined forces to convert 100,000 tons of coconut coir dust into organic fertilizer. Mr. Rabat operates a coconut coir factory in Mati City, Davao Oriental that processes some 30,000 husks daily into coconut fiber for export to China. Coconut husk is only 20 percent fiber and the remaining 80 percent is dust. Thus, in the last two years of operation, at least 100,000 tons of coir dust have accumulated, posing a huge waste disposal problem.

       Dr. Sumaoang, a biochemist who has mastered the production of bio-organic fertilizer from agricultural wastes including coir dust, is helping Eric solve his waste disposal problem and at the same time making good money out of the waste. Production of the organic fertilizer is done with the use of Biosec, a formulation of enzymes and beneficial microorganisms developed by Novatech. This development is timely because Davao Oriental needs a lot of organic fertilizer and supply still comes from General Santos which is quite a distance away.

       K. Sundram, deputy chief executive of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) projects the US import of Malaysian palm oil to increase by up to 10% this year as a result of the ban on foods containing artificial trans fats in US states such as California and New York and the global economic downturn. He also expects palm oil exports to Canada to rise this year. He explained that artificial trans fats have been proven to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

       California has enacted a law stating that restaurants must phase out foods containing partially hydrogenated edible oils by 2010, with a 2011 deadline for baked goods. New York introduced similar legislation last year.

       Davish Jain, president of India?s Central Organisation for Oil Trade and Industry said the country is likely to import 8.5 million MT of vegetable oils, edible and non-edible, this 2008/09 November/October season, increasing by 35% from prior season at 6.31 million MT. Mr. Jain cited falling global prices and the government?s decision to remove import tax on most crude vegetable oils as reasons for the expected surge. Soya oil import duty was the latest to be scrapped last month. He anticipates India?s domestic vegetable oil consumption to rise to 13.5 million MT this year from 12.5 million MT in the 2007/08 season.

       A study done by researchers at the University of Foggia led by Antonella Baiano found that after three months of storage, the antioxidant activity in extra-virgin olive oil remained unchanged, but antioxidants decreased by about 40 percent after six months. The investigation was carried out on several varieties of extra virgin olive oil produced from groves in Italy at the production stage and during storage. The study has been presented in the March issue of Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.

       Sources at the European Commission said Luxembourg is set to become the fifth EU country to ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops, joining France, Greece, Austria, and Hungary. The country?s government is said to have informed the EC that it will notify its decision to invoke the ?safeguard clause?. The cultivation ban will apply to Monsanto?s MON810 maize variety, which is currently the only biotech crop approved for cultivation in the EU.

       South African edible oil processors claim that imports of vegetable oils and oilcake acquired at cheap prices due to the current weak vegetable oils market have squeezed margins in the local oilseed industry over the past year. Neels Ferreira, head of Grains SA, said prices for both sunflower seeds and soya were trading well below import parity despite a reasonable balance between supply and demand.

       Producers of biodiesel in the UK are now optimistic after the European Commission decided to impose countervailing duties on US biodiesel imports. However, any expansion plans are likely to be put on hold due to the global economic crisis. US firms exporting biodiesel into the EU will have to pay additional antidumping tariffs of up to 29 percent, and anti-subsidy duties of between 29 and 41 percent for an initial six months, the EU said.