The Cocohouse luncheon this May will be held on Wednesday, noontime, May 21, 2008 at the Queen Function Room, Makati Palace Hotel, located at P. Burgos cor. Caceres St. Makati City. This month?s host will be the Coconut Oil Refiners Association (CORA).

       Ten teams are competing at this year?s bowling tournament which will be held on Wednesdays on June 04-25, 2008 at the SM Bowling Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. They are as follows: Cargill Philippines, CIIF Oil Mills, Dumaguete Coconut Mills, Interasia Marine Transport, Intertek Testing Services Phils., Pilipinas Kao, Raco-Transeaboard Shipping Services, Sakamoto Orient Chemicals Corp., United Coconut Planters Bank, and Mixed Nuts (EU Sons Trading, Iligan Bay Manufacturing and Trading, Mitsubishi Corp. Living Essentials, Pacific Royal Basic Foods).

       The National Biofuels Board (NBB) is now preparing the Philippines Biofuel Development Masterplan which will serve as roadmap for strategic development and production of biofuel crops toward energy self-sufficiency, agribusiness development and creation of wealth in the countryside. NBB Executive Director and Energy Department Undersecretary Ramon Santos assured that amidst food crisis issues, food security will be given primordial attention in the Masterplan. He explained that the country is abundant in biofuel crops hence its sustainable production will not affect food production and food security.

       Figures from Sri Lanka?s Coconut Development Authority show the country?s export of desiccated coconut sharply dropped in February this year by 80.9% to 873 MT from 4,581 MT in February of the prior year. The shipment was worth USD1.682 million. Average traded price was USD1,927/MT FOB, a sharp rise by 57.4% from USD1,224/MT at the same time last year. Cumulative January-February 2008 figure at 2,139 MT shrank a comparable last year period total at 7,296 MT by 70.7 %.

       At the recently held Bioenergy Forum 2008 in Bangkok last month, experts blamed extreme weather conditions, rapid expansion of the Chinese and Indian economies, and population growth, among others, as responsible for the current surge in food prices. While the use of biofuels may be part of the problem, the experts said these factors loom larger. To address this dilemma of conflicting use of food crops, the special panel proposed that countries use wastes and biomass as feedstock for biofuels, introduce high yield varieties of crops that can be used to make ethanol and biodiesel, and promote the use of non-food feedstock such as jatropha and sweet sorghum.

       Pertamina, Indonesia?s state oil firm has cut the biodiesel component in the fuel blend to 1% from 2.5% since April 11 amid rising palm oil prices and lack of incentives which have cut margins. In May 2006, the company introduced Bisolar which had a biodiesel content of 5%. The biodiesel component was again cut down to 2.5% in 2007.

       Despite sharp cuts in import duties on edible oils to 5% from 28% and an approaching peak cropping season, Sri Lankan desiccated coconut mills do not expect to resume production until middle of this month when harvest gathers momentum. Most mills in the country have stopped production since December due to shortage of nuts and high prices, according to Sunil Watawala, former president of the Desiccated Coconut Millers Association.

       Spain?s Health Ministry ordered all sunflower oil to be withdrawn since last month after a batch from Ukraine was found to be contaminated with hydrocarbons. The European Commission (EC) warned against consuming the oil. Bernat Soria, Spain?s health minister said the aliphatic hydrocarbons were found in the batch delivered to Spain. Although the concentration was ?so low it presents no significant toxic risk?, he warned consumers not to use sunflower oil as a precautionary measure.

       Malaysia and Indonesia, the world?s two largest producers of palm oil with combined market share of 90% had held discussions to jointly promote palm oil and other commodities globally to counter negative health claims about palm oil. Discussions were held during the three-day Joint Committee Meeting on Bilateral Cooperation on the Commodities of palm oil, cocoa and pepper between the two countries last month in Bali, Indonesia.

       India, the world?s second biggest importer of edible oils next to China, is anticipated to increase imports this year by nearly 1.0 million MT following the scrapping of import taxes on crude edible oils in a bid to ease domestic prices and control inflation. Leading analyst Dorab Mistry, director of Godrej International estimates the country will buy 6.5 million MT of vegetable oils in the current oil year ending October 2008, an increase by 16% from 5.6 million MT last year.

       SovEcon, the country?s independent agricultural research agency, said the local vegetable oils market has become saturated than previous season, despite lower production. The agency cited sharply increased imports during the first six months of the season, from October 2007 to March 2008, as high domestic prices had encouraged more imports of edible oils.