Official data from the Philippine Coconut Authority show the Philippines exported in May this year 160,939 MT of coconut products measured in copra terms. This clipped by 30.9% a similar month year-earlier total at 233,069 MT. Revenue, however, rose slightly by 1.8% to USD94.646 million from USD92.954 million mainly on sharply improved prices.

       Of major exports, only copra meal reflected improvement by an appreciable 79.8% at 68,458 MT from 38,075 MT a year ago. Substantial deficit was recorded in coconut oil delivery by 31.8% from 126,045 MT down to 85,977 MT. Desiccated coconut cutback was a modest 4.4% from 12,242 MT to 11,703 MT while oleochemicals shipment in copra terms plunged 54.7% from 14,070 MT to 6,375 MT. Other product performed as follows, in MT: coco shell charcoal 2,475 (+68.4% from 1,470), activated carbon 2,064 (-21.5% from 2,630), glycerin1,474 (+120.7% from 668), fresh coconuts 49 (-72.7% from 181), Others 2,948 (+0.1% from 2,946).

       Export of coconut oil during the month comprised of 49,177 MT of crude coconut oil (CNO), 35,779 MT cochin oil (Refined and bleached oil), and 1,021 MT RBD oil (Refined, Beached and Deodorized oil). Top buyer was Europe which accounted for 43.1% at 37,071 MT of crude coconut oil mainly for Netherlands at 35,071 MT and Spain at 2,000 MT. The U.S. was responsible for 38.5% at 33,086 MT made up largely of cochin oil at 21,908 MT, then CNO at 11,064 MT and RBD oil at 114 MT.

       Outside of these markets, significant volumes were delivered to Malaysia at 7,502 MT of cochin oil; Japan at 7,354 MT of which 6,354 MT was cochin oil and 1,000 MT was CNO. Bulk of RBD oil exports went to countries in Asia and the Middle East. China imported 342 MT, Iran 291 MT, and Israel 106 MT. With the exception of Israel which also bought 42 MT CNO, China and Iran took in solely RBD oil. Other RBD oil buyers were Russia 85 MT, Pakistan 37 MT, Uruguay 19 MT, Singapore 17 MT, and Taiwan 10 MT. Limited amount of cochin oil also went to Brazil at 15 MT.

       Desiccated coconut export amounting to 11,703 MT in May went to 39 countries of which 16 held volumes no lower than 100 MT. The U.S. remained market leader with uptake of 2,700 MT to account for 23.1% of total, trailed by United Kingdom with 2,257 MT (19.3%), Belgium with 1,180 MT (10.1%), and Australia with 1,160 MT (9.9%).

       Exports of coconut shell in May which totaled 2,475 MT were consigned to six countries in Asia. Japan maintained leadership with volume at 1,065 MT sharing 43.0% of total. Other destinations had market share of 3.8%-21.1% namely, China with 522 MT, Korea 445 MT, Singapore 232 MT, Indonesia 117 MT, Hongkong 94 MT.

       South Korea’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) reports of government plans to call for an annual 0.5 percentage point increase in the blending level of biological content used in diesel fuel over the next five years. In addition, the government will also extend tax benefits offered to biodiesel for three years until 2010 since the actual product cost exceeds that of regular fuel.

       The Agriculture Ministry in Ukraine is working out a draft law that will impose a 30% duty for sunflower oil exports in a bid to curb sharp rise of prices in the local market. The Ministry is concerned that prices sunflower oil will continue to rise from present levels of $1,089/MT in mid-September from $960 in a similar period in July and $860 in mid-June.

       Shardul Sharma, analyst at Sharekhan Commodities said India’s demand for edible oils could increase by 10% in the new oil year beginning this October and neighboring Bangladesh and Pakistan could see a rise between 5% and 10%. However, he warned that high prices for palm and soya oils could act as a deterrent and force low income consumers in these countries to switch to cheaper, domestic oils such as cottonseed.

       The world’s largest airplane maker is working with fuel developers from around the world to find the holy grail of alternative fuels: one that will shrink jet flight’s substantial environmental footprint without requiring an overhaul of the world’s existing airplane fleet. The company, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic and engine maker GE Aviation plans to fly a biofuel-propelled 747. They are now testing biofuels from different origins, ranging from soybeans to algae. The perfect compound would help stave off global warming without compromising the industry’s growth.

       Bill Glover, environmental-strategy director for Boeing’s commercial plane division said the first big step is to have a fuel that will go into today’s airplanes and today’s infrastructure seamlessly, adding that finding such will not be an easy task. First, unlike ethanol, the ideal fuel would need to pack the same energy punch that fossil do. Second, it must remain liquid at the low temperatures that surround an aircraft in flight, biofuels tend to solidify more quickly than their fossil-derived equivalent. Third, producing it in quantities to feed jets enormous appetite must be environmentally sustainable which bodes ill for fuels derived from land-hungry crops such as soybeans.