Official figures from the Philippine Coconut Authority show Philippine coconut products export in February dropped 37.8% year-on-year to 75,857 MT in copra terms from 121,863 MT. Gross export receipts likewise dropped substantially by 46.8% to USD55.464 million from USD104.257 million on sharply reduced traded volume and prices.

        Except for desiccated coconut, all major exports suffered double-digit shortfalls. Desiccated coconut export rose 9.7% to 10,479 MT from 9,552 MT. Shipment of coconut oil plunged 39.6% to 36,195 MT from 59,905 MT, copra meal slumped 58.3% to 25,541 MT from 61,236 MT, oleochemicals plummeted 81.7% to 2,202 MT in copra terms from 12,007 MT. Other products performed as follows, in MT: coco shell charcoal 2,828 (+149.5% from 1,134 MT), activated carbon 1,997 (-35.9% from 3,115), glycerin 957 (-30.3% from 1,374), fresh coconuts 161 (+185.2% from 57), Others 2,462 (+2.1% from 2,411).

       Export of coconut oil in February consisted of 25,123 MT crude coconut oil, 10,171 MT cochin (refined, bleached) oil, and 901 MT RBD (fully refined) coconut oil. Europe was market leader with purchases of 17,396 MT representing 48.1% of total export, followed by the United States with 9,559 MT (26.4% market share), China with 6,372 MT (17.6%), and Japan with 2,100 MT (5.8%). The rest had market shares less than 1%.

       There were 43 countries that imported Philippine desiccated coconut in February led by the United States which captured a quarter (25.7%) of total shipment with 2,696 MT. Trailing behind were Belgium with 1,102 MT (10.5%) and United Kingdom 1,051 MT (10.0%), then Russia with 673 MT (6.4%) and Netherlands 629 MT (6.0%).

       Export of coconut shell charcoal in February went to four Asian countries topped by Japan with purchases of 2,520 MT for a market share of 89.1%. Other destinations were China 146 MT, Korea 144 MT, and Hongkong 19 MT which jointly accounted for 10.9%.

       Oilseed analyst Oil World anticipates slower growth in world palm kernel oil output in the current year to around 4-5% from previous year?s 13%. It said in a report that palm kernel oil production in Indonesia may reach 2.2 million MT in 2008/09, while that in Malaysia may rise only marginally from last season?s 2.1 million MT. ?Palm kernel oil production has been affected by the downturn of the biological palm oil (and kernel) yield cycle in Southeast Asia which started in late 2008 and is likely to draw to an end in mid-2009.? it said.

       Pakistan, the world?s fourth largest importer of vegetable oils, recorded reduced imports in the last two months. Rasheed Janmohammad, vice-chairman of the Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association, explained carryover stocks from overbuying in the January-March quarter, low intake in rural areas during the wheat harvesting season, and cheap supplies of canola oil squeezed demand for edible oil. As a result, there was reduction by 15-20% in the import of palm oil, palm olein and crude palm oil in April and May.

       Pakistan imports both refined and crude palm oils from Malaysia and Indonesia, the world?s biggest producers. Around 3 million MT of edible oils are consumed yearly in the country as against production of between 500,000 MT and 800,000 MT of cottonseed, rapeseed and sunflower oils. It relies on imports to meet 80% of the total demand.

       Indonesian biodiesel firms are still awaiting the price formula, which is a key to calculating not only biofuel sale prices but also government subsidies. To date, six biodiesel firms are not operating and five others are operating at below 5% of capacity, after being squeezed by rising prices of palm oil feedstock. According to Evita Legowo, director general of oil and gas at the energy ministry, the presidential decree on energy subsidies has yet to be signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

       Data compiled by the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEAI) show the country imported 659,477 MT of edible oil in April, higher by 8% compared to 609,553 in March but more than double April last year total at 309,629 MT (+113%). Figure for the first half-year of the 2008/09 oil year which began November reached 4.094 million MT, nearly twice the volume in the same period of the previous season at 2.244 million MT (+82%). The combined edible and non-edible imports of vegetable oils in the same six-month period stood at 4.292 million MT, comparatively higher than 2.611 million MT in 2007/08. Palm oil products accounted for 82% of the volume of edible oil imports over the first semester at 3.369 million MT, with soft oils such as sunflower and soya oils making up the remainder at 724,549 MT.

       Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe?s largest oil company said biofuels may account for as much as 10% of global transport fuel in the coming decades. The company, based in The Hague, announced recently it will focus on biofuels instead of solar, hydrogen and wind energy for the next few years. The company expanded a research agreement with the U.S.?s Codexis Inc. in March to accelerate the commercialization of the next generation of biofuels, made from non-foods crops.