The Department of Energy (DOE) bared plans to increase the biodiesel component in the diesel fuel mix up to 20 percent over the medium term. The revised energy plan circulated to industry players and other stakeholders includes increasing the biodiesel admixture to five percent (B5) within this year. Thereafter, as proposed, the biodiesel blend will be increased further by five percent every five years until it reaches 20 percent by 2025. Thus by 2015, the diesel fuel blend shall contain 10 percent biodiesel, 15 percent by 2020, and 20 percent by 2025.

       It will be recalled that as early as the start of this year, in a letter to then Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes, CIIF Oil Mills Group President and CEO Jesus Lim Arranza requested DOE to increase the biodiesel blend to five percent from the current two percent. He justified the request saying that: (1) Production of copra has been abundant since last year and is expected of further increase this year, (2) The price of petroleum and correspondingly, that of diesel and gasoline, is anticipated to rise this year due to increased global demand with expected recovery in world economy.

       Chemrez Technologies Inc., the country?s top biodiesel, resins and oleochemical producer, posted a 22-percent increase in its consolidated net income in the first quarter of this year. Total leaped to P160 million from P131.7 million in the same period last year. The company, which is listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange, attributed the improvement to the strong growth in all of the firm?s product segments namely, biodiesel, oleochemicals, resins, and powder coating. Biodiesel remains the biggest revenue driver responsible for about half of sales. This was due primarily to the approval of the two percent biodiesel (B2) mandate effective February 2009.

       Figures from Oil World show U.S. import of lauric oils in February this year amounted to 68,300 MT, a reduction by 10.8% from February year-before at 76,600 MT. Of this total, coconut oil accounted for 61.6% or 42,100 MT (43,600 MT in the prior year) while palm kernel oil shared 38.4% or 26,200 MT (33,000 MT). Bulk of lauric oil supply came from the Philippines which comprised of 37,300 MT of coconut oil (28,800 MT) only and represented 54.6% of the pack. Malaysia?s share of 35.0% consisted largely of palm kernel oil at 23,900 MT (25,700 MT) and coconut oil at 800 MT (800 MT). Shipment from Indonesia totaled 7,100 MT (21,900 MT) of which 4,000 MT (13,900 MT) was coconut oil and 3,100 MT (8,000 MT) was palm kernel oil and contributed 10.4%. Other countries contributed 200 MT (300 MT) of which 100 MT (100 MT) was coconut oil and 100 MT (200 MT) was palm kernel oil.

       Soya oil exports from the U.S. to China have been almost non-existent this year as both countries disagree over the need for quality and safety certificates. China wants phytosanitary certificates issued by the U.S. on soya oil export. The U.S. government, on the other hand, contends that there is no need for the certificates China wants because processing oil at high temperatures removes any health risks. A U.S. trader though believes both parties are close to settling the conflict.

       Banning trans fats from all foods in the UK would prevent thousands of heart attacks and deaths every year, and would be a simple way to protect the public and save lives, says two senior doctors on bmj.com recently. Their views follow calls by public health specialists to eliminate the consumption of industrially-produced trans fats in the UK by next year. The authors, from Harvard School of Public Health in the US, report that bans in Denmark and New York City effectively eliminated trans fats, without reducing food availability, taste, or affordability. There is also no evidence that such legislation leads to harm from increased use of saturated fats.

       According to recent research published in the Saudi Medical Journal, palm vitamin E has a potential role in reducing symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The study, which was carried out at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, between March 2006 and November 2007, assessed the efficacy of oral palm vitamin E in reducing symptoms of patients with OA of the knee compared to oral glucosamine sulphate.

       Brazil?s state-run oil giant Petrobas revealed that its board has approved plans to produce biodiesel in Portugal, in partnership with Galp Energia. ?With total investments estimated at $240 million, some 250,000 MT of biodiesel are expected to be produced in Portugal per year. Production is expected to start up in 2015 and will be aimed to supply the European market, with priority to the Iberian market,? Petrobas said.

       Evogene Ltd., a world leading developer of improved plants traits for the agriculture and biodiesel industries through the use of plant genomics, recently announced the results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of biodiesel produced from castor bean varieties being developed by the Company. The assessment shows that such biodiesel reduces Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions by 90% in the U.S. and more than 75% in Brazil compared to petroleum diesel. LCA was conducted by Symbiotic Engineering, a company specializing in GHG and sustainability management and providing tools to evaluate ?green? projects and products, and was peer-reviewed by Dr. Arunprakash Karunanithi from the University of Colorado, Denver.

       New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL), a listed company on the London Stock Exchange, has increased its plantation area by more than 50% with the acquisition of CTP Holdings? interest in oil palm plantations it owned and operated in Papua New Guinea. CTP Holdings is a Cargill majority owned company. NBPOL is the largest oil palm plantation owner and operator in Papua New Guinea. All of its oil palm plantations are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The new acquisition is expected to increase sales for the company considerably. Last year revenues were US$323.8 million, and as of February some 164,000 tons of palm oil had been forward sold out of projected 2010 production, at an average price of $746 per ton.