Preliminary UCAP data show export of coconut products in April fell for the 10th month in a row year-on-year. Total shipment at 69,655 MT in copra terms shrank 66.4% from last year at 207,091 MT and dropped 18.3% from last month estimated at 85,257 MT. Gross export receipts during the month based on UCAP estimates plummeted 79.7% to USD33.902 million from USD167.389 million with dwindling volume and vastly reduced prices. Figures exclude data for oleochemicals.

       Shipment of all major products suffered pronounced setback during the month especially coconut oil which registered the biggest deficit with lifting slashed by 72.6% from 115,632 MT to just 31,638 MT. The volume is 2,629 MT short of the first quarter monthly average this year of 34,267 MT. Copra meal export was slightly trimmed down by 4.8% from 36,820 MT to 35,050 MT. Desiccated coconut load declined for the first time since January. Volume at 7,981 MT skidded 22.5% from 10,304 MT year-ago but slightly exceeded the monthly average in the last three months at 9,960 MT. Out bound oleochemicals slipped 6.8% to 7,097 MT from 7,617 MT in copra terms but topped the monthly average of 3,438 MT by a wide margin.

       The United States was the biggest buyer of coconut oil during the month fortifying its market share at 79.6% of total sales with purchases of 25,197 MT. Japan followed with turnover of 4,440 MT to account for 14.0%. Perennial top buyer Europe took in only limited volume of 1,500 MT (4.7%) along with China at 501 MT (1.6%).

       Cognis Oleochemicals is rebranding and declares readiness to expand business. It will now be known as Emery Oleochemicals. The world?s largest oleochemicals company is 50:50 owned by Malaysia?s Sime Darby Plantation and Thailand-based PTT Chemical International, after a joint venture agreement in July last year. PTT Chemical completed its 50% acquisition in Cognis Oleochemicals from Cognis, a subsidiary of global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis of Germany in November last year. Dr. Kongkrapan Intarajang, executive director at Emery Oleochemicals, said the group aimed to be a global leader in oleochemicals and derivative products.

       Official sources in Indonesia say the government will impose a 3% export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) next month in line with the recent rise in international prices of palm oil. The duty represents an increase from the current zero rate. Likewise, the CPO base export price will be raised to $700/MT next month from $560/MT at present. Under an Indonesian Finance Ministry decree, CPO export tax increases to 3% if the CPO reference price falls between $751 and $800 a ton. The reference price is calculated by averaging the preceding month?s spot palm oil prices in Rotterdam. If the reference price is below $700 a ton, no tax is charged.

       Despite the tax increases, industry officials are confident exports will not be adversely affected. Derom Bangun, vice-chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Board (DMSI) said the country may export 16 million MT of palm oil this year, up from around 14.29 million MT in 2008. India accounted for 34% of total export in 2008 while China shared 12%.

       Dorab Mistry, director of Godrej International and leading palm oil analyst, said at the Japan Oilseed Processors Association?s annual forum that imports from the world?s top two buyers of vegetable oils will jump in the coming months as the world?s economy gradually recovers. In addition to the rise in demand, palm oil supplies are also expected to dwindle in Indonesia and Malaysia, the world?s top producers, due to weak output arising from lack of fertilizer use last year coupled with volatile weather and yield stress after months of good harvest. He projects Bursa Malaysia crude palm oil (CPO) futures to exceed M$3,000/MT (US$855/MT) ?very quickly?.

       Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency approved for both cultivation and feed and food use a new genetically modified (GM) high oleic soybean trait made by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a Dupont business. The high oleic soybean trait is more than three times higher in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and has a more than 20% reduction in saturated fat over normal soya oil, the company claimed. Like low linolenic soya oil, high oleic soya oil eliminates the need for hydrogenation, resulting in foods with negligible amounts of trans fats. Pioneer will introduce the new GM high oleic soybean trait in its line-up of Pioneer brand Y Series soybean varieties.

       Stringent environmental rules that require new commercial plantations in the Amazons to be surrounded by forests at a ratio of 1:4 is making oil palm plantation expansion difficult in Brazil, according to Marcello Amaral Brito, commercial director of the country?s biggest palm oil producer, Agropalma. Developing forests in degraded land and ensuring forests cover in 80% of the total area requires large sums of money, he added. Agropalma accounts for more than half of Brazil?s oil palm plantations and produces close to 150,000 MT of crude palm oil annually. It has nearly 50,000 hectares under oil palm plantations and maintains a forest area of 65,000 hectares.