Breaking News on Palm Oil. June 2022
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Read curated news that impacts the global palm oil industry.
CSPO Watch News. Making it easy for you to follow the palm oil industry
CSPO Watch News. Making it easy for you to follow the palm oil industry
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EU-Council agrees on new rules to drive down deforestation and forest degradation globally
The Council today adopted its negotiating position (general approach) on a proposal to limit the consumption of products contributing to deforestation or forest degradation.
The Council agreed to set mandatory due diligence rules for all operators and traders who place, make available or export the following products from the EU market: palm oil, beef, timber, coffee, cocoa and soy. The rules also apply to a number of derived products such as leather, chocolate and furniture.
The Council simplified and clarified the due diligence system, while preserving a strong level of environmental ambition. The general approach avoids duplication of obligations and reduces administrative burden for operators and member states’ authorities. It also adds the possibility for small operators to rely on larger operators to prepare due diligence declarations.
The Council agreed to set up a benchmarking system, which assigns to third and EU countries a level of risk related to deforestation (low, standard or high). The risk category would determine the level of specific obligations for operators and member states’ authorities to carry out inspections and controls. This would mean an enhanced monitoring for high-risk countries and simplified due diligence for low-risk countries. The Council clarified the control obligations and set quantified objectives of minimum control levels for standard- and high-risk countries. The purpose is to set effective and targeted measures.
The Council maintained provisions regarding effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties and enhanced cooperation with partner countries, as proposed by the Commission. The Council modified the definition of ‘forest degradation’ to mean structural changes to forest cover, taking the form of the conversion of primary forests into plantation forests or into other wooded land. Consilium Europa
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EU-"Fit for 55": Council agrees on higher targets for renewables and energy efficiency
The Council today adopted its negotiating positions (general approaches) on two legislative proposals that tackle the energy aspects of the EU’s climate transition under the ‘Fit for 55’ package: the renewable energies directive and the energy efficiency directive. The agreements pave the way for the Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament.
Energy production and use account for 75% of the EU’s emissions and the more ambitious targets agreed today will be a significant contribution towards meeting the EU’s overall goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Renewable energies
The Council agreed to set a binding EU-level target of 40% of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy mix by 2030. The current EU-level target is at least 32 %. Member states will need to increase their national contributions set in their integrated national energy and climate plans (NECPs), to be updated in 2023 and 2024, in order to collectively achieve the new target. Consilium Europa
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EU’s Transport and Tourism Committee agrees on SAF goals
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on the Transport and Tourism Committee on June 27 voted 25 to six in favor of adopting a draft negotiating mandate on the ReFuelEU aviation rules, which sets a goal for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use. The MEPs also broadened the definition of SAF.
The ReFuelEU aviation initiative is part of the EU’s Fit for 55 in 2030 package, which is the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels in line with the European Climate Law.
The MEPs’ action on the ReFuelEU initiative increased the EU’s original proposal for the minimum share of SAF that should be made available in EU airports. Starting in 2025, the share is to increase to 2 percent, increasing to 37 percent in 2040 and 85 percent by 2050, taking into account the potential of electricity and hydrogen in the overall fuel mix.
The MEPs also amended the proposed definition of SAF, a term that covers synthetic fuels or certain biofuels, produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, or used cooking oil. The updated definition includes recyclable carbon fuels produced from waste processing gas and exhaust gas derived from the production process at industrial installations. The MEPs also suggested that some biofuels produced from animal fats or distillates be used in the aviation fuel mix until 2024. The MEPs, however, excluded feed and food crop-based fuels, and those derived from palm oil, citing sustainability criteria. Biodiesel Magazine
------
FEDIOL (Press Statement) Brussels, 29 June 2022 - FEDIOL welcomes the Council’s decision to maintain the
Commission’s approach on crop-based biofuels, which are an available and costeffective means to decarbonise transport in the EU and reduce fossil fuel imports
FEDIOL welcomes the Council General Approach on the revision of the Renewable Energy
Directive (RED III) as it acknowledges the important contribution of crop-based biofuels to
the EU renewable energy transport target by maintaining the already assessed 7% cap.
Crop-based biofuels are an immediate and cost-effective tool to reduce emissions of
existing and future light and heavy-duty vehicles. They replace fossil fuels and thereby
allow the EU to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports. Furthermore, according to the
European Environmental Agency, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction savings of
biofuels consumed in Europe already significantly exceed the minimum 50% savings
threshold compared to fossil fuels.
Lowering the contribution of crop-based biofuels to the RED III transport targets would
have negative consequences for the environment and for consumers, as it would lead to
more fossil fuel imports and consumption in the EU, higher and more volatile energy prices
due to the rising cost of fossil fuels, and reduced ambition in the real reduction of GHG
emissions in the transport sector.
https://www.fediol.eu/data/22PRESS214%20Reaction%20to%20Council%20GA%20REDIII_Press%20Statement.pdf
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South Korea's Dansuk exports SMF to Europe
South Korean biodiesel producer Dansuk Industrial exported this month 3,000t of sustainable marine fuel (SMF) to the Netherlands, marking the company's first export to Europe.
Dansuk produces 50,000 t/yr of SMF at its Pyeongtaek and Siheung factories in Gyeonggi province from a blend of fatty acid pitch and acid oil pitch by-products of biodiesel made from used cooking oil and animal fats, bio-heavy oil and raw materials palm oil mill effluent, spent bleaching earth oil and cashew nut shell liquid.
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification-compliant fuel qualifies for renewable energy units in the Netherlands and is eligible for double counting towards European renewable mandates. The company is also considering supplying Singapore and its domestic market, although South Korea currently has no incentives or mandates for its use. Argus Media
------
Indonesia mulls raising mandatory palm oil mix in biodiesel to 35%
JAKARTA, June 30 (Reuters) - Indonesia is considering expanding a mandatory palm oil mix in its biodiesel to 35%, from 30%, a government official said on Thursday, as authorities look for ways to stimulate palm fruit purchases from farmers after a slowdown in exports.
Septian Hario Seto, a senior official at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, confirmed that authorities were weighing up such a change.
"We're evaluating," he said in a text message. Nasdaq/ Reuters
------
Egypt turns to Malaysia, Indonesia for vegetable oil amid food export bans
Amid a severe shortage and soaring local prices, Egypt is exerting efforts to resume imports of vegetable oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.
The recent shortage of vegetable oil in Egypt has escalated the food supply crisis in the North African country, with prices climbing since May 15.
According to the new price lists for edible oils announced by Arma Food Industries Company and the Savola Group, two of the largest edible oil companies in Egypt, prices on May 15 registered 9 Egyptian pounds (about 50 cents) for a bottle of less than a liter and 23 Egyptian pounds ($1.23) for a 2.2 liter bottle.
On June 1, the Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade announced that nearly half a million Egyptians have so far been removed from the ration card system. The system subsidizes bread and vegetable oil. The move came in light of the lack of supplies to Egypt, which imports 90% of its needs of vegetable oil, according to Amr Madkour, the ministry’s adviser. Al Monitor
------
Malaysia-Palm oil millers warned of licence suspension after halting operations
PETALING JAYA: Palm oil millers who ceased operations due to the sharp fall in edible oil prices have been issued letters of reminder to continue operations or face action for failing to comply with the terms of their licences.
Deputy plantation industries and commodities minister Wee Jeck Seng said the letters, issued through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, reminded the millers that their action had impacted existing stocks of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB).
He said the millers risked suspension of their licences if they failed to comply with requirements under the Malaysian Palm Oil Act 1998 (Act 582).
“I would like to give a stern warning regarding the action taken by the millers,” he said in a statement.
He added that FFB processing and palm oil manufacturing activities should not stop as stated in the licence.
On Tuesday, Wee said the actions of millers who stopped operations and did not buy FFB had indirectly disrupted existing stocks and had a negative impact on smallholders. Free Malaysia Today
The Council today adopted its negotiating position (general approach) on a proposal to limit the consumption of products contributing to deforestation or forest degradation.
The Council agreed to set mandatory due diligence rules for all operators and traders who place, make available or export the following products from the EU market: palm oil, beef, timber, coffee, cocoa and soy. The rules also apply to a number of derived products such as leather, chocolate and furniture.
The Council simplified and clarified the due diligence system, while preserving a strong level of environmental ambition. The general approach avoids duplication of obligations and reduces administrative burden for operators and member states’ authorities. It also adds the possibility for small operators to rely on larger operators to prepare due diligence declarations.
The Council agreed to set up a benchmarking system, which assigns to third and EU countries a level of risk related to deforestation (low, standard or high). The risk category would determine the level of specific obligations for operators and member states’ authorities to carry out inspections and controls. This would mean an enhanced monitoring for high-risk countries and simplified due diligence for low-risk countries. The Council clarified the control obligations and set quantified objectives of minimum control levels for standard- and high-risk countries. The purpose is to set effective and targeted measures.
The Council maintained provisions regarding effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties and enhanced cooperation with partner countries, as proposed by the Commission. The Council modified the definition of ‘forest degradation’ to mean structural changes to forest cover, taking the form of the conversion of primary forests into plantation forests or into other wooded land. Consilium Europa
------
EU-"Fit for 55": Council agrees on higher targets for renewables and energy efficiency
The Council today adopted its negotiating positions (general approaches) on two legislative proposals that tackle the energy aspects of the EU’s climate transition under the ‘Fit for 55’ package: the renewable energies directive and the energy efficiency directive. The agreements pave the way for the Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament.
Energy production and use account for 75% of the EU’s emissions and the more ambitious targets agreed today will be a significant contribution towards meeting the EU’s overall goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Renewable energies
The Council agreed to set a binding EU-level target of 40% of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy mix by 2030. The current EU-level target is at least 32 %. Member states will need to increase their national contributions set in their integrated national energy and climate plans (NECPs), to be updated in 2023 and 2024, in order to collectively achieve the new target. Consilium Europa
------
EU’s Transport and Tourism Committee agrees on SAF goals
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on the Transport and Tourism Committee on June 27 voted 25 to six in favor of adopting a draft negotiating mandate on the ReFuelEU aviation rules, which sets a goal for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use. The MEPs also broadened the definition of SAF.
The ReFuelEU aviation initiative is part of the EU’s Fit for 55 in 2030 package, which is the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels in line with the European Climate Law.
The MEPs’ action on the ReFuelEU initiative increased the EU’s original proposal for the minimum share of SAF that should be made available in EU airports. Starting in 2025, the share is to increase to 2 percent, increasing to 37 percent in 2040 and 85 percent by 2050, taking into account the potential of electricity and hydrogen in the overall fuel mix.
The MEPs also amended the proposed definition of SAF, a term that covers synthetic fuels or certain biofuels, produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, or used cooking oil. The updated definition includes recyclable carbon fuels produced from waste processing gas and exhaust gas derived from the production process at industrial installations. The MEPs also suggested that some biofuels produced from animal fats or distillates be used in the aviation fuel mix until 2024. The MEPs, however, excluded feed and food crop-based fuels, and those derived from palm oil, citing sustainability criteria. Biodiesel Magazine
------
FEDIOL (Press Statement) Brussels, 29 June 2022 - FEDIOL welcomes the Council’s decision to maintain the
Commission’s approach on crop-based biofuels, which are an available and costeffective means to decarbonise transport in the EU and reduce fossil fuel imports
FEDIOL welcomes the Council General Approach on the revision of the Renewable Energy
Directive (RED III) as it acknowledges the important contribution of crop-based biofuels to
the EU renewable energy transport target by maintaining the already assessed 7% cap.
Crop-based biofuels are an immediate and cost-effective tool to reduce emissions of
existing and future light and heavy-duty vehicles. They replace fossil fuels and thereby
allow the EU to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports. Furthermore, according to the
European Environmental Agency, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction savings of
biofuels consumed in Europe already significantly exceed the minimum 50% savings
threshold compared to fossil fuels.
Lowering the contribution of crop-based biofuels to the RED III transport targets would
have negative consequences for the environment and for consumers, as it would lead to
more fossil fuel imports and consumption in the EU, higher and more volatile energy prices
due to the rising cost of fossil fuels, and reduced ambition in the real reduction of GHG
emissions in the transport sector.
https://www.fediol.eu/data/22PRESS214%20Reaction%20to%20Council%20GA%20REDIII_Press%20Statement.pdf
------
South Korea's Dansuk exports SMF to Europe
South Korean biodiesel producer Dansuk Industrial exported this month 3,000t of sustainable marine fuel (SMF) to the Netherlands, marking the company's first export to Europe.
Dansuk produces 50,000 t/yr of SMF at its Pyeongtaek and Siheung factories in Gyeonggi province from a blend of fatty acid pitch and acid oil pitch by-products of biodiesel made from used cooking oil and animal fats, bio-heavy oil and raw materials palm oil mill effluent, spent bleaching earth oil and cashew nut shell liquid.
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification-compliant fuel qualifies for renewable energy units in the Netherlands and is eligible for double counting towards European renewable mandates. The company is also considering supplying Singapore and its domestic market, although South Korea currently has no incentives or mandates for its use. Argus Media
------
Indonesia mulls raising mandatory palm oil mix in biodiesel to 35%
JAKARTA, June 30 (Reuters) - Indonesia is considering expanding a mandatory palm oil mix in its biodiesel to 35%, from 30%, a government official said on Thursday, as authorities look for ways to stimulate palm fruit purchases from farmers after a slowdown in exports.
Septian Hario Seto, a senior official at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, confirmed that authorities were weighing up such a change.
"We're evaluating," he said in a text message. Nasdaq/ Reuters
------
Egypt turns to Malaysia, Indonesia for vegetable oil amid food export bans
Amid a severe shortage and soaring local prices, Egypt is exerting efforts to resume imports of vegetable oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.
The recent shortage of vegetable oil in Egypt has escalated the food supply crisis in the North African country, with prices climbing since May 15.
According to the new price lists for edible oils announced by Arma Food Industries Company and the Savola Group, two of the largest edible oil companies in Egypt, prices on May 15 registered 9 Egyptian pounds (about 50 cents) for a bottle of less than a liter and 23 Egyptian pounds ($1.23) for a 2.2 liter bottle.
On June 1, the Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade announced that nearly half a million Egyptians have so far been removed from the ration card system. The system subsidizes bread and vegetable oil. The move came in light of the lack of supplies to Egypt, which imports 90% of its needs of vegetable oil, according to Amr Madkour, the ministry’s adviser. Al Monitor
------
Malaysia-Palm oil millers warned of licence suspension after halting operations
PETALING JAYA: Palm oil millers who ceased operations due to the sharp fall in edible oil prices have been issued letters of reminder to continue operations or face action for failing to comply with the terms of their licences.
Deputy plantation industries and commodities minister Wee Jeck Seng said the letters, issued through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, reminded the millers that their action had impacted existing stocks of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB).
He said the millers risked suspension of their licences if they failed to comply with requirements under the Malaysian Palm Oil Act 1998 (Act 582).
“I would like to give a stern warning regarding the action taken by the millers,” he said in a statement.
He added that FFB processing and palm oil manufacturing activities should not stop as stated in the licence.
On Tuesday, Wee said the actions of millers who stopped operations and did not buy FFB had indirectly disrupted existing stocks and had a negative impact on smallholders. Free Malaysia Today
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|
|
EU environment ministers back anti-deforestation draft
Proposal does not include restrictions on natural rubber imports
Brussels – European Union environment ministers have agreed their position on the draft EU anti-deforestation law, which will see the imports of certain commodities into the region restricted.
The proposed regulation is aimed at ensuring that products derived from certain commodities including coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soya, beef and wood, which are placed on the EU market or exported from the EU, have not caused deforestation or forest degradation during their production.
The European Parliament is expected to adopt its position in the plenary session of 12 September.
As reported earlier by ERJ, the proposed regulation was the centre of a lobbying campaign by environmentalist group Global Witness, which insisted that natural rubber should be included in the list. European Rubber Journal
------
Race to zero: Feeble progress on deforestation prompts Nestlé and Unilever to bolster commitments
29 Jun 2022 --- New analysis warns that major agriculture companies committed to net-zero could have little to no chance of meeting their climate commitments due to a lack of action on deforestation. Responding to the escalating meta crisis, the CEOs of Nestlé and Unilever have publicly pledged to make supply chains deforestation-free.
But this raises questions about the value of such commitments. The food sector has been under heightened pressure to green up for some time, as around 60% of total deforestation is caused by agricultural commodities production.
“The good news is there are a small but growing number of companies that are leading the way and showing it’s not only possible, but beneficial to the bottom line to deliver on deforestation commitments as a core component of reaching net-zero,” says Nigel Topping, UN climate change high-level climate champion.
“Expert partners like the Accountability Framework initiative have highlighted that to reach net zero the majority of commodity-driven land clearance and deforestation must be halted by 2025.” Food Ingredients First
------
Net-Zero Targets Aren’t Attainable Without Ending Deforestation
(Bloomberg) -- The global economy won’t reach net-zero carbon emissions without putting an end to deforestation.
That’s the conclusion of the United Nations-backed Race to Zero campaign, which pushes companies and investors to reduce emissions. The report, which was published Wednesday in partnership with nonprofit Global Canopy, Science Based Targets initiative and the Accountability Framework Initiative, said companies committing to eliminate emissions by 2050 must act with urgency to stamp out tropical deforestation in their supply chains.
Cutting down trees to clear land for cattle or to sell timber is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and banks and fund managers add to the problem by providing the financing needed to enable deforestation. Protecting and restoring forests would likely result in 18% of the cuts needed by 2030 to keep the world on track to avert catastrophic climate change, the report said.
"Companies need to go further and faster on tackling deforestation in their supply chains, as a core part of delivering on their net-zero commitments if we’re to have any chance of fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement and keeping warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Nigel Topping, high-level climate action champion for the COP26 climate summit. BNN Bloomberg
------
Indonesia to road test 40% palm oil mix biodiesel at end-July
JAKARTA (June 28): Indonesia is planning to start road test for vehicles powered by 40% palm-biodiesel, or B40, at the end of July, says Dadan Kusdiana, director general of new and renewable energy at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.
Preparation is still ongoing for the five-month road test, Kusdiana said by text message on Tuesday.
Implementation for B40 biodiesel blending mandate will depend on the result of road test.
Indonesia has imposed B30 since 2020 to reduce the country’s fossil fuel import bill. Indonesia sees partial implementation of B40 biofuel in 2025. The Edge Markets
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Indonesia palm oil firms to get bigger export quotas under new rules
JAKARTA, June 28 (Reuters) - Indonesian palm oil companies will be offered larger export quotas under new plans to adjust rules on local cooking oil sales, officials said on Tuesday, part of government efforts to improve domestic distribution after a months-long price crisis.
The world's biggest exporter of palm oil shocked global markets late in April by banning shipments of the edible oil for three weeks to try to bring down stubbornly high domestic cooking oil prices.
Since lifting the ban, palm oil companies have been required to sell part of their output to the local market - a so-called Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) - in return for export permits for volumes five times the portion sold locally.
New rules are being drafted so that companies can choose to sell unbranded cooking oil in packaging at the same price as that of bulk cooking oil, to make logistics smoother, senior trade ministry official Oke Nurwan told a news conference, without specifying a time frame. Nasdaq/ Reuters
------
India - Edible oil brand Gulab Oils eyes Rs 5,000 crore turnover in four years
Plans to enter ten states from four currently, expand capacity 10-fold to 1,000 tonnes a day and make additions to product portfolio
Having doubled its turnover in three years to Rs 2,100 crore in FY22, Gujarat's emerging cooking medium brand Gulab Oils is now eyeing a turnover Rs 5,000 crore over the next 3-4 years on the back of its pan-India presence and capacity expansion.
"We more than doubled our turnover on the back of healthy growth in the edible oil business during the past three years. Now that we are expanding our presence from four states to 10 on the back of capacity and product portfolio expansion, we hope to touch Rs 5,000 crore in next 3-4 years," Dishit Nathwani, director of Gulab Oil and Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Started in 1966 with a single mill in Mangrol, the Gujarat-based edible oil company is now looking to become an oil-cum-food company, similar to Adani Wilmar. Business Standard
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India - Arunachal inks pact with Ruchi Soya for oil palm processing unit
Itanagar, June 28 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh government on Tuesday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ruchi Soya Industries, for setting up of oil palm manufacturing and processing unit at Niglok Industrial Growth Centre in East Siang district.
The MoU was signed between Arunachal Pradesh Industrial Development Finance Corporations Limited (APIDFCL), MD Hage Tari and Subhas Bhattacharjee (Head North East region) of Ruchi Soya Industries, official sources said.
With the signing of the MoU, farmers and other entrepreneurs would be benefitted as large number of unused land in the state could be utilized for plantations of oil palm in large scale which would a ready raw material feeder for oil palm manufacturing units. Morung Express
Proposal does not include restrictions on natural rubber imports
Brussels – European Union environment ministers have agreed their position on the draft EU anti-deforestation law, which will see the imports of certain commodities into the region restricted.
The proposed regulation is aimed at ensuring that products derived from certain commodities including coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soya, beef and wood, which are placed on the EU market or exported from the EU, have not caused deforestation or forest degradation during their production.
The European Parliament is expected to adopt its position in the plenary session of 12 September.
As reported earlier by ERJ, the proposed regulation was the centre of a lobbying campaign by environmentalist group Global Witness, which insisted that natural rubber should be included in the list. European Rubber Journal
------
Race to zero: Feeble progress on deforestation prompts Nestlé and Unilever to bolster commitments
29 Jun 2022 --- New analysis warns that major agriculture companies committed to net-zero could have little to no chance of meeting their climate commitments due to a lack of action on deforestation. Responding to the escalating meta crisis, the CEOs of Nestlé and Unilever have publicly pledged to make supply chains deforestation-free.
But this raises questions about the value of such commitments. The food sector has been under heightened pressure to green up for some time, as around 60% of total deforestation is caused by agricultural commodities production.
“The good news is there are a small but growing number of companies that are leading the way and showing it’s not only possible, but beneficial to the bottom line to deliver on deforestation commitments as a core component of reaching net-zero,” says Nigel Topping, UN climate change high-level climate champion.
“Expert partners like the Accountability Framework initiative have highlighted that to reach net zero the majority of commodity-driven land clearance and deforestation must be halted by 2025.” Food Ingredients First
------
Net-Zero Targets Aren’t Attainable Without Ending Deforestation
(Bloomberg) -- The global economy won’t reach net-zero carbon emissions without putting an end to deforestation.
That’s the conclusion of the United Nations-backed Race to Zero campaign, which pushes companies and investors to reduce emissions. The report, which was published Wednesday in partnership with nonprofit Global Canopy, Science Based Targets initiative and the Accountability Framework Initiative, said companies committing to eliminate emissions by 2050 must act with urgency to stamp out tropical deforestation in their supply chains.
Cutting down trees to clear land for cattle or to sell timber is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and banks and fund managers add to the problem by providing the financing needed to enable deforestation. Protecting and restoring forests would likely result in 18% of the cuts needed by 2030 to keep the world on track to avert catastrophic climate change, the report said.
"Companies need to go further and faster on tackling deforestation in their supply chains, as a core part of delivering on their net-zero commitments if we’re to have any chance of fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement and keeping warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Nigel Topping, high-level climate action champion for the COP26 climate summit. BNN Bloomberg
------
Indonesia to road test 40% palm oil mix biodiesel at end-July
JAKARTA (June 28): Indonesia is planning to start road test for vehicles powered by 40% palm-biodiesel, or B40, at the end of July, says Dadan Kusdiana, director general of new and renewable energy at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.
Preparation is still ongoing for the five-month road test, Kusdiana said by text message on Tuesday.
Implementation for B40 biodiesel blending mandate will depend on the result of road test.
Indonesia has imposed B30 since 2020 to reduce the country’s fossil fuel import bill. Indonesia sees partial implementation of B40 biofuel in 2025. The Edge Markets
------
Indonesia palm oil firms to get bigger export quotas under new rules
JAKARTA, June 28 (Reuters) - Indonesian palm oil companies will be offered larger export quotas under new plans to adjust rules on local cooking oil sales, officials said on Tuesday, part of government efforts to improve domestic distribution after a months-long price crisis.
The world's biggest exporter of palm oil shocked global markets late in April by banning shipments of the edible oil for three weeks to try to bring down stubbornly high domestic cooking oil prices.
Since lifting the ban, palm oil companies have been required to sell part of their output to the local market - a so-called Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) - in return for export permits for volumes five times the portion sold locally.
New rules are being drafted so that companies can choose to sell unbranded cooking oil in packaging at the same price as that of bulk cooking oil, to make logistics smoother, senior trade ministry official Oke Nurwan told a news conference, without specifying a time frame. Nasdaq/ Reuters
------
India - Edible oil brand Gulab Oils eyes Rs 5,000 crore turnover in four years
Plans to enter ten states from four currently, expand capacity 10-fold to 1,000 tonnes a day and make additions to product portfolio
Having doubled its turnover in three years to Rs 2,100 crore in FY22, Gujarat's emerging cooking medium brand Gulab Oils is now eyeing a turnover Rs 5,000 crore over the next 3-4 years on the back of its pan-India presence and capacity expansion.
"We more than doubled our turnover on the back of healthy growth in the edible oil business during the past three years. Now that we are expanding our presence from four states to 10 on the back of capacity and product portfolio expansion, we hope to touch Rs 5,000 crore in next 3-4 years," Dishit Nathwani, director of Gulab Oil and Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Started in 1966 with a single mill in Mangrol, the Gujarat-based edible oil company is now looking to become an oil-cum-food company, similar to Adani Wilmar. Business Standard
------
India - Arunachal inks pact with Ruchi Soya for oil palm processing unit
Itanagar, June 28 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh government on Tuesday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ruchi Soya Industries, for setting up of oil palm manufacturing and processing unit at Niglok Industrial Growth Centre in East Siang district.
The MoU was signed between Arunachal Pradesh Industrial Development Finance Corporations Limited (APIDFCL), MD Hage Tari and Subhas Bhattacharjee (Head North East region) of Ruchi Soya Industries, official sources said.
With the signing of the MoU, farmers and other entrepreneurs would be benefitted as large number of unused land in the state could be utilized for plantations of oil palm in large scale which would a ready raw material feeder for oil palm manufacturing units. Morung Express
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Indonesian Minister Promises Export Quota to CPO Producers Who Support 'Minyakita' Program
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan asked palm oil producers to support the 'Minyakita' program. He said he would provide CPO export quotas for producers who help the government prepare the simple packaged cooking oil program.
"As compensation, we will give CPO export quotas to palm oil producers who support the cooking oil in simple packaging program," Zulkifli said through the ministry's official statement, Monday, June 27.
Zulkifli said that resuming export would raise producers' needs for CPO, which will increase the absorption rate of farmers' fresh fruit bunches by producers.
He said the policy could also improve palm fruit prices. However, according to him, domestic needs will still be prioritized. "There is a scheme that will regulate it," he said. Tempo
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Malaysia's palm oil millers halt production as CPO prices plummet
KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): Some palm oil millers in Malaysia, the world's second largest producer, have temporarily halted production following a dramatic plunge in prices of the edible oil, a senior official from a miller's association said on Monday.
Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) prices have seen their biggest one-month decline in more than 13 years in June, tumbling 22% from a high of RM6,632 (US$1,506.25) a tonne to RM4,922 (US$1,117.42) on Monday, erasing most of this year's gains.
Malaysian millers purchase palm fruit bunches based on the monthly average CPO price — currently about RM6,200 (US$1,408.13) — but sell the extracted oil based on the daily market price. The Edge Markets
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Malaysia urges palm oil mills to resume production despite price drop
MALAYSIAN authorities on Tuesday called on palm oil millers to resume production and buy oil palm fruits from farmers, after a recent plunge in prices of the edible oil prompted some companies to halt processing.
Unprofitable pricing meant mills in Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, had temporarily halted operations, an industry body said on Monday.
Malaysian crude palm oil futures posted their biggest one-month decline in more than 13 years in June, recording a 22 per cent drop and erasing most of this year’s gains. Business TimesSG
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India - Edible oil brand Sunpure is on expansion drive; to invest ₹365 crore in next two years
To set up palm oil and oleochemical units at Mangalore and a refinery in Maharashtra
Sunpure, a leading edible oil brand in the south, plans to invest ₹365 crore in the next two years for expansion. It is also exploring production of mustard in Rajasthan. It is setting up a ₹250 crore palm refining and bio diesel unit in Mangalore; a ₹100 crore refinery in South Maharashtra and a crushing investment in Karnataka at a cost of ₹15 crore. The Hindu Businessline
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Nigeria - Minister Tasks Stakeholders On Repositioning Nigeria’s Oil Palm Sector
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar has tasked stakeholders in the Oil Palm Sub sector on the need to reposition Nigeria to its rightful position of exporting to another Nations.
The Minister stated this when he received the delegation of stakeholders of the proposed Nigeria oil palm summit led by its convener Mr. Fatai Afolabi in his office in Abuja, recently.
Dr. Abubakar noted that “in the early 60s Nigeria’s agriculture sector was the major source of revenue, but today the country is struggling to be a big agricultural nation”, adding that it is not too late for Nigeria to reposition itself.
He recalled that Malaysia came to Nigeria some years back, got oil palm seedlings and became number 1 producers of oil palm in the world and today Nigeria is ranked the 5th position, which makes it worrisome, the Minister emphasized.
He stated that “Rice, Cassava and Yam are top priorities in the agricultural sector, urging the stakeholders to use the summit to think, plan ahead and develop a policy that would put Nigeria back on track”.
The Minister cautioned that “not just proposing to have a summit but a lot of thinking and planning must be carried out to avoid past mistakes”, pledging to work with any organization to achieve the economic diversification policy of the Present Administration. TribuneNGR
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Uganda - Govt secures 2,000 hectares for Masaka oil palm project
What you need to know:
According to Mr Saul Kityo, the focal person for Masaka oil palm project, the secured land is in all the four sub-counties of Masaka District; Kyanamukaaka, Buwunga, Bukakkata and Kyesiiga.
Oil palm growing in Uganda is already taking place in the island districts of Kalangala and Buvuma where government is growing the crop on nucleus estates and selected pieces of land owned by out growers.
According to Mr Saul Kityo, the focal person for Masaka oil palm project, the secured land is in all the four sub-counties of Masaka District; Kyanamukaaka, Buwunga, Bukakkata and Kyesiiga. MonitorUG
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan asked palm oil producers to support the 'Minyakita' program. He said he would provide CPO export quotas for producers who help the government prepare the simple packaged cooking oil program.
"As compensation, we will give CPO export quotas to palm oil producers who support the cooking oil in simple packaging program," Zulkifli said through the ministry's official statement, Monday, June 27.
Zulkifli said that resuming export would raise producers' needs for CPO, which will increase the absorption rate of farmers' fresh fruit bunches by producers.
He said the policy could also improve palm fruit prices. However, according to him, domestic needs will still be prioritized. "There is a scheme that will regulate it," he said. Tempo
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Malaysia's palm oil millers halt production as CPO prices plummet
KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): Some palm oil millers in Malaysia, the world's second largest producer, have temporarily halted production following a dramatic plunge in prices of the edible oil, a senior official from a miller's association said on Monday.
Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) prices have seen their biggest one-month decline in more than 13 years in June, tumbling 22% from a high of RM6,632 (US$1,506.25) a tonne to RM4,922 (US$1,117.42) on Monday, erasing most of this year's gains.
Malaysian millers purchase palm fruit bunches based on the monthly average CPO price — currently about RM6,200 (US$1,408.13) — but sell the extracted oil based on the daily market price. The Edge Markets
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Malaysia urges palm oil mills to resume production despite price drop
MALAYSIAN authorities on Tuesday called on palm oil millers to resume production and buy oil palm fruits from farmers, after a recent plunge in prices of the edible oil prompted some companies to halt processing.
Unprofitable pricing meant mills in Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, had temporarily halted operations, an industry body said on Monday.
Malaysian crude palm oil futures posted their biggest one-month decline in more than 13 years in June, recording a 22 per cent drop and erasing most of this year’s gains. Business TimesSG
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India - Edible oil brand Sunpure is on expansion drive; to invest ₹365 crore in next two years
To set up palm oil and oleochemical units at Mangalore and a refinery in Maharashtra
Sunpure, a leading edible oil brand in the south, plans to invest ₹365 crore in the next two years for expansion. It is also exploring production of mustard in Rajasthan. It is setting up a ₹250 crore palm refining and bio diesel unit in Mangalore; a ₹100 crore refinery in South Maharashtra and a crushing investment in Karnataka at a cost of ₹15 crore. The Hindu Businessline
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Nigeria - Minister Tasks Stakeholders On Repositioning Nigeria’s Oil Palm Sector
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar has tasked stakeholders in the Oil Palm Sub sector on the need to reposition Nigeria to its rightful position of exporting to another Nations.
The Minister stated this when he received the delegation of stakeholders of the proposed Nigeria oil palm summit led by its convener Mr. Fatai Afolabi in his office in Abuja, recently.
Dr. Abubakar noted that “in the early 60s Nigeria’s agriculture sector was the major source of revenue, but today the country is struggling to be a big agricultural nation”, adding that it is not too late for Nigeria to reposition itself.
He recalled that Malaysia came to Nigeria some years back, got oil palm seedlings and became number 1 producers of oil palm in the world and today Nigeria is ranked the 5th position, which makes it worrisome, the Minister emphasized.
He stated that “Rice, Cassava and Yam are top priorities in the agricultural sector, urging the stakeholders to use the summit to think, plan ahead and develop a policy that would put Nigeria back on track”.
The Minister cautioned that “not just proposing to have a summit but a lot of thinking and planning must be carried out to avoid past mistakes”, pledging to work with any organization to achieve the economic diversification policy of the Present Administration. TribuneNGR
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Uganda - Govt secures 2,000 hectares for Masaka oil palm project
What you need to know:
According to Mr Saul Kityo, the focal person for Masaka oil palm project, the secured land is in all the four sub-counties of Masaka District; Kyanamukaaka, Buwunga, Bukakkata and Kyesiiga.
Oil palm growing in Uganda is already taking place in the island districts of Kalangala and Buvuma where government is growing the crop on nucleus estates and selected pieces of land owned by out growers.
According to Mr Saul Kityo, the focal person for Masaka oil palm project, the secured land is in all the four sub-counties of Masaka District; Kyanamukaaka, Buwunga, Bukakkata and Kyesiiga. MonitorUG
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Other G7 countries block German and UK proposals for biofuels waivers
Spike in fossil fuel prices should stop countries from introducing relaxations of biofuels mandates
A proposal from Germany to temporarily reduce the volume of biofuels consumption in G7 countries has failed to gain traction at a summit of the grouping being held in Bavaria, according to media reports on Sunday, with the US and Canada said to be leading the opposition to the move.
If a mooted waiver to biofuels use does indeed fail to get agreement at the G7 summit over the next couple of days, biofuels producers would breathe a sigh of relief following various stories in media late last week that Germany and the UK would push for a temporary relaxation of biofuels mandates.
A June 26 report from the Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that officials from the US and Canada were citing the spike in fossil fuel prices in the past few months as an argument for why G7 countries should refrain from introducing a waiver from biofuels mandates.
The same news agency reported a US official as saying that the issue was being negotiated by the Sherpas (government representatives who discuss which subjects should be on the high-level agenda at summits) and hadn’t yet progressed to being an item for G7 leaders to chew over at the three-day meeting in the German Alps that ends on June 29.
But in a statement published late Sunday by the UK Prime Minister’s office, Boris Johnson had encouraged G7 leaders to look at their demands on the use of land and biofuel globally.
“The use of grain for biofuel is contributing to reduced availability and increased costs for human consumption. That is something the Prime Minister will be raising at the G7 today (Monday), the statement said.
Reuters reported on June 23 that Germany and the UK would ask other G7 countries to consider reducing biofuels blending requirements in order to free up grains and vegetable oils amid fears of a global food crisis. Fast Markets
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Malaysia has 'golden opportunity' to engage EU on palm oil, Minister Zuraida
KUALA LUMPUR: The Russia-Ukraine war and weather uncertainties offer a "golden opportunity" for Malaysia to engage with the European Union and fill the gap in the global cooking oil supply.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia wanted to foster a cordial engagement with the trade bloc in search of a win-win solution that would benefit the palm oil industry.
"Engagements are being held through various platforms, such as the Asean-EU Joint Working Group, seminars or webinars and dialogues via economic and palm oil promotion missions in the EU.
"Malaysia hopes to channel various updated information on the palm oil industry, in particular from the health, nutrition and sustainability fronts, to eradicate misconceptions of palm oil and its related products as evident in the widespread anti-palm oil campaigns in the EU. New Straits Times
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Malaysia to foster cordial engagement with EU for palm oil industry's benefit
KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): Malaysia is determined to foster a cordial engagement with the European Union (EU) in search of a win-win solution that can benefit the palm oil industry at large although the trade bloc has remained a staunch opposition of the palm oil trade since 2003.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia hopes to channel various updated information on the palm oil industry, in particular from the health/nutrition and sustainability fronts, to eradicate misconceptions of palm oil and its related products as evident in the widespread anti-palm oil campaigns in the EU.
Engagements are currently being held through various platforms, for example the ASEAN-EU Joint Working Group, seminar programmes or webinars and dialogues/discussions via economic and palm oil promotion missions, she said.
The Edge Markets
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Malaysia - Resolving worker shortage woes
ccording to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) report in 2015, up to 78% of the oil palm plantation workers are foreign workers, with most of them coming from Indonesia.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no new arrival of foreign workers beginning from March 2020, and Malaysia recently opened its international borders on April 1, 2022. Due to the shortage of workers in the oil palm plantation sector, expected revenue losses are around RM20bil.
This has led to the Malaysian Cabinet to agree to a special exemption for the intake of 32,000 foreign workers for the palm oil sector in April 2022.
As mentioned much earlier, since most of the foreign workers are Indonesians for the oil palm plantation sector, the government concluded a specific MOU with Indonesia on the recruitment of domestic workers on April 1, 2022. The conclusion of the said MOU is pertinent to pave the way for the recruitment of Indonesian workers for the formal sectors. The StarMY
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India - Bhupalpally sets target for oil palm cultivation
Bhupalpally/Warangal: The officials of the Horticulture are encouraging the farmers to cultivate the oil palm in 7,450 acres for the year 2022-23 in the district. To achieve this target, District Collector Bhavesh Mishra convened a meeting with the officials of the Horticulture, Suven Agro and MI Agro companies a couple of days ago and chalked out plans.
Following this, the Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) are planning to conduct awareness programmes for the farmers about the need of cultivation of the oil palm which is in good demand not only in the State, but also in other parts of the country and world.
The State government wanted to promote oil palm in 20 lakh acres in 26 districts including Jayashankar Bhupalpally in the State as the State stands sixth in terms of oil palm area in the country with the plantation crop covered in 53,455 acres so far. But it stands first in terms of productivity at eight tonnes of fresh fruit bunches of oil palm per acre and also highest oil extraction rate of 19.22% in 2020-21.
“The production of crude palm oil in the State is about 0.45 lakh tonnes against the requirement of 3.66 lakh tonnes,” as per the socio economic outlook. “Keeping this in view, we are encouraging the farmers to cultivate the oil palm on a large scale. The government is also offering subsidies. We are planning to achieve 1,000 acres of plantation every month by dividing the district into 45 clusters,” Collector Mishra said. Telangana Today
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Nigeria - Oil palm landscape: Solidaridad tasks Akwa Ibom stakeholders on Sustainable Management Plan
AN International Civil Society Organisation, Solidaridad has charged Akwa Ibom stakeholders to come together to develop Sustainable Management Plan, SMP, needed to sustain, protect, and manage the State’s Oil palm landscape.
The programme manager, Oil palm Solidaridad in Nigeria, Mr. Kenechukwu Onukwube, who gave the advice weekend in Uyo during interaction with members of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) comprising representatives from communities in the six LGAs where Solidaridad works, the State Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Environment and Solid Minerals.
Onukwube identified some of the objectives of the MSP to include making sustainable management plans with performance targets on the climate, and increasing stakeholders level of awareness on their direct and indirect roles in enhancing productivity in oil palm farming through climate Smart Agriculture. VanguardNGR
Spike in fossil fuel prices should stop countries from introducing relaxations of biofuels mandates
A proposal from Germany to temporarily reduce the volume of biofuels consumption in G7 countries has failed to gain traction at a summit of the grouping being held in Bavaria, according to media reports on Sunday, with the US and Canada said to be leading the opposition to the move.
If a mooted waiver to biofuels use does indeed fail to get agreement at the G7 summit over the next couple of days, biofuels producers would breathe a sigh of relief following various stories in media late last week that Germany and the UK would push for a temporary relaxation of biofuels mandates.
A June 26 report from the Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that officials from the US and Canada were citing the spike in fossil fuel prices in the past few months as an argument for why G7 countries should refrain from introducing a waiver from biofuels mandates.
The same news agency reported a US official as saying that the issue was being negotiated by the Sherpas (government representatives who discuss which subjects should be on the high-level agenda at summits) and hadn’t yet progressed to being an item for G7 leaders to chew over at the three-day meeting in the German Alps that ends on June 29.
But in a statement published late Sunday by the UK Prime Minister’s office, Boris Johnson had encouraged G7 leaders to look at their demands on the use of land and biofuel globally.
“The use of grain for biofuel is contributing to reduced availability and increased costs for human consumption. That is something the Prime Minister will be raising at the G7 today (Monday), the statement said.
Reuters reported on June 23 that Germany and the UK would ask other G7 countries to consider reducing biofuels blending requirements in order to free up grains and vegetable oils amid fears of a global food crisis. Fast Markets
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Malaysia has 'golden opportunity' to engage EU on palm oil, Minister Zuraida
KUALA LUMPUR: The Russia-Ukraine war and weather uncertainties offer a "golden opportunity" for Malaysia to engage with the European Union and fill the gap in the global cooking oil supply.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia wanted to foster a cordial engagement with the trade bloc in search of a win-win solution that would benefit the palm oil industry.
"Engagements are being held through various platforms, such as the Asean-EU Joint Working Group, seminars or webinars and dialogues via economic and palm oil promotion missions in the EU.
"Malaysia hopes to channel various updated information on the palm oil industry, in particular from the health, nutrition and sustainability fronts, to eradicate misconceptions of palm oil and its related products as evident in the widespread anti-palm oil campaigns in the EU. New Straits Times
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Malaysia to foster cordial engagement with EU for palm oil industry's benefit
KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): Malaysia is determined to foster a cordial engagement with the European Union (EU) in search of a win-win solution that can benefit the palm oil industry at large although the trade bloc has remained a staunch opposition of the palm oil trade since 2003.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia hopes to channel various updated information on the palm oil industry, in particular from the health/nutrition and sustainability fronts, to eradicate misconceptions of palm oil and its related products as evident in the widespread anti-palm oil campaigns in the EU.
Engagements are currently being held through various platforms, for example the ASEAN-EU Joint Working Group, seminar programmes or webinars and dialogues/discussions via economic and palm oil promotion missions, she said.
The Edge Markets
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Malaysia - Resolving worker shortage woes
ccording to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) report in 2015, up to 78% of the oil palm plantation workers are foreign workers, with most of them coming from Indonesia.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no new arrival of foreign workers beginning from March 2020, and Malaysia recently opened its international borders on April 1, 2022. Due to the shortage of workers in the oil palm plantation sector, expected revenue losses are around RM20bil.
This has led to the Malaysian Cabinet to agree to a special exemption for the intake of 32,000 foreign workers for the palm oil sector in April 2022.
As mentioned much earlier, since most of the foreign workers are Indonesians for the oil palm plantation sector, the government concluded a specific MOU with Indonesia on the recruitment of domestic workers on April 1, 2022. The conclusion of the said MOU is pertinent to pave the way for the recruitment of Indonesian workers for the formal sectors. The StarMY
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India - Bhupalpally sets target for oil palm cultivation
Bhupalpally/Warangal: The officials of the Horticulture are encouraging the farmers to cultivate the oil palm in 7,450 acres for the year 2022-23 in the district. To achieve this target, District Collector Bhavesh Mishra convened a meeting with the officials of the Horticulture, Suven Agro and MI Agro companies a couple of days ago and chalked out plans.
Following this, the Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) are planning to conduct awareness programmes for the farmers about the need of cultivation of the oil palm which is in good demand not only in the State, but also in other parts of the country and world.
The State government wanted to promote oil palm in 20 lakh acres in 26 districts including Jayashankar Bhupalpally in the State as the State stands sixth in terms of oil palm area in the country with the plantation crop covered in 53,455 acres so far. But it stands first in terms of productivity at eight tonnes of fresh fruit bunches of oil palm per acre and also highest oil extraction rate of 19.22% in 2020-21.
“The production of crude palm oil in the State is about 0.45 lakh tonnes against the requirement of 3.66 lakh tonnes,” as per the socio economic outlook. “Keeping this in view, we are encouraging the farmers to cultivate the oil palm on a large scale. The government is also offering subsidies. We are planning to achieve 1,000 acres of plantation every month by dividing the district into 45 clusters,” Collector Mishra said. Telangana Today
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Nigeria - Oil palm landscape: Solidaridad tasks Akwa Ibom stakeholders on Sustainable Management Plan
AN International Civil Society Organisation, Solidaridad has charged Akwa Ibom stakeholders to come together to develop Sustainable Management Plan, SMP, needed to sustain, protect, and manage the State’s Oil palm landscape.
The programme manager, Oil palm Solidaridad in Nigeria, Mr. Kenechukwu Onukwube, who gave the advice weekend in Uyo during interaction with members of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) comprising representatives from communities in the six LGAs where Solidaridad works, the State Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Environment and Solid Minerals.
Onukwube identified some of the objectives of the MSP to include making sustainable management plans with performance targets on the climate, and increasing stakeholders level of awareness on their direct and indirect roles in enhancing productivity in oil palm farming through climate Smart Agriculture. VanguardNGR
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India - 15,000 oil palm saplings planted in single day at Wanaparthy
The district authorities of Wanaparthy district have achieved a unique record of planting 15,000 oil palm plants across 313 acres of Agriculture land in a single day on Saturday.
Mahabubnagar: The district authorities of Wanaparthy district have achieved a unique record of planting 15,000 oil palm plants across 313 acres of Agriculture land in a single day on Saturday. Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, who took part in the mass plantation programme of Palm Oil plants at Mushti Balishwar farm over 5 acres of land in Chityala village of Wanaparthy district said that the farmers of Wanaparthy district will stand as an example to others in the Oil Palm plantation in the State, as the district has achieved the record of planting 15000 plant saplings in a single day." The Hans India
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China keen to explore business opportunities in POIC Lahad Datu
LAHAD DATU: China is keen to explore business opportunities at the POIC Lahad Datu Industrial Park, said Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) president Datuk Frankie Liew.
This came after 20 members of the SCCC made a two-day visit to the east coast town on June 23.
The visit involved a dialogue with the Lahad Datu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and a briefing on POIC Lahad Datu's operations by its marketing and sales division head, Rose Pun.
"The visit allowed our members to understand the business opportunities so that we can share the information with our business friends in China," said Liew.
"We are keen to see how our businesses can complement POIC as we are interested in cold storage import and export of marine products, transport and warehousing."
He said SCCC also had frequent business exchanges in the Philippines and Indonesia, which, along with Malaysia, were members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that brings together Asean nations with China, South Korea and Japan. New Straits Times
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The district authorities of Wanaparthy district have achieved a unique record of planting 15,000 oil palm plants across 313 acres of Agriculture land in a single day on Saturday.
Mahabubnagar: The district authorities of Wanaparthy district have achieved a unique record of planting 15,000 oil palm plants across 313 acres of Agriculture land in a single day on Saturday. Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, who took part in the mass plantation programme of Palm Oil plants at Mushti Balishwar farm over 5 acres of land in Chityala village of Wanaparthy district said that the farmers of Wanaparthy district will stand as an example to others in the Oil Palm plantation in the State, as the district has achieved the record of planting 15000 plant saplings in a single day." The Hans India
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China keen to explore business opportunities in POIC Lahad Datu
LAHAD DATU: China is keen to explore business opportunities at the POIC Lahad Datu Industrial Park, said Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) president Datuk Frankie Liew.
This came after 20 members of the SCCC made a two-day visit to the east coast town on June 23.
The visit involved a dialogue with the Lahad Datu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and a briefing on POIC Lahad Datu's operations by its marketing and sales division head, Rose Pun.
"The visit allowed our members to understand the business opportunities so that we can share the information with our business friends in China," said Liew.
"We are keen to see how our businesses can complement POIC as we are interested in cold storage import and export of marine products, transport and warehousing."
He said SCCC also had frequent business exchanges in the Philippines and Indonesia, which, along with Malaysia, were members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that brings together Asean nations with China, South Korea and Japan. New Straits Times
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Indonesian palm oil farmers see a bleak future
Russia was a large source of fertilize; now prices are skyrocketing
MEDAN, Indonesia -- The past few months have been challenging for palm oil farmer Albertus Wawan.
The owner of a 5-hectare plantation in Sekadau Regency, West Kalimantan, this year was first hit by Indonesia's palm oil export ban. In April the government announced it would attempt to curb rising cooking oil prices by keeping the raw material to itself.
Crude palm oil is a key ingredient in cooking oil. Rather than bring down prices of the staple, though, the ban caused the price of Wawan's palm fruit bunches to collapse.
"I used to make around 4,000 rupiah (27 cents) per kilogram for my fresh fruit bunches," Wawan told Nikkei Asia, "but then the price dropped to about 2,000 rupiah, and that's not a fair price."
The ban has since been overturned, and exports are picking up again. Wawan and his smallholder palm oil business should be turning a corner, too. Instead, he faces a new problem, one that threatens more severe consequences: a lack of chemical fertilizer. Asia Nikkei
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Indonesian palm oil farmers call for removal of local sales rules
JAKARTA, June 24 (Reuters) - Indonesian farmers want authorities to scrap a requirement for exporters to sell a portion of their palm oil domestically, a move that should boost shipments and mean mills pay more for fresh fruit bunches (FFBs), a farming official said.
Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of palm oil, shocked global edible oil markets by banning palm oil shipments for three weeks to May 23 in an attempt to cool domestic cooking oil prices.
The ban was eventually lifted because of the pain it caused an industry that employs 17 million workers and with farmers complaining the policy had caused FFB prices to plunge 70%.
Since lifting the ban, the government has cut export taxes and launched an export acceleration programme, but farmers say FFB prices have remained depressed. Nasdaq
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Indonesia - Sad, a kilo of palm fruit is worth 2 glasses of mineral water
JAKARTA, SAWIT INDONESIA – In the last two months, oil palm farmers have really felt the bitterness of life. The price of oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) received by independent smallholders is already below Rp 1,000 per kilogram. Even in some areas, farmers have to sell between Rp 700-Rp 850/kilogram.
In Indragiri Hilir, the price of FFB fell from Rp 3,000/kilogram last April. Now it is Rp 450 per kilogram.
"The price of Rp. 450 per kilogram was at the agent level last Thursday (23 June 2022)," said Mulono Apriyanto, DPD Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association (APKASINDO) Indragiri Hilir, Riau, in a telephone conversation, Friday (24 June 2022) .
Meanwhile in Jambi, the price of FFB received by farmers is between Rp 500-Rp 900 per kilogram. Whereas in last April, the price of FFB received by farmers was still above Rp. 3,000 per kilogram.
The low price of palm oil has been voiced by oil palm farmers to local and central governments. This is because the price is so low that it interferes with the maintenance of plants, which have much higher production costs.
For information, the cost of production is Rp. 1,800 per kilogram due to the skyrocketing prices of fertilizers and pesticides.
Unfortunately, a kilo of FFB received by farmers is equivalent to one or two glasses of mineral water on the market which is sold for Rp. 500 per glass. Sawit Indonesia
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Indonesia - Farmers Ask for Government Responsibility, Don't Just Take Taxes
Bangko, elaeis.co - The chairman of the DPD Apkasindo Merangin, Joko Wahyono, assessed that the buildup of CPO in Indonesia was caused by the high export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) set by the government.
“The CPO export tax is up to Rp. 14,200/kg. Of course, this has an impact on the price of FFB, which is increasingly being squeezed by palm oil mills (PKS)," said Joko to elaeis.co.
“Export permits are also difficult to get out, so CPO is piling up. The government must be responsible, the government must simplify export regulations and lower export taxes," he added.
According to him, the government must also explain to the public why the domestic CPO price (KPBN) is very low at Rp. 10,800/kg, while in the global market it is high at USD 1.7 or Rp. 25,000/kg.
"This thing that is a mystery in the eyes of the public needs to be unraveled so that it becomes educational material," he said.
Due to the low price of CPO in the country, the price of FFB farmers fell below Rp. 1,600/kg. In fact, he said, the production cost of FFB reached Rp. 1,800/kg.
“Farmers lose mass. In fact, some are not selling because the PKS has closed the impact of the CPO storage tank being full due to not being able to export it," he said. Elaeis
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FMCG stocks surge on easing concerns over margins
Shares of fast-moving consumer goods companies saw hefty buying on June 24 on the perception that ongoing decline in global commodity prices could improve profitability of these companies going ahead.
FMCG companies had come under pressure earlier this year as rising prices of commodities, such as wheat, crude palm oil and others, led to fears of continued decline in margins of these companies. In the quarter ended March, most FMCG companies reported a year-on-year decline in their margins due to high input price inflation.
However, recent decline in global commodity prices due to rising concerns over demand in the West and the government’s efforts to contain prices of key imports like edible oils have helped ease concerns around margins of these companies. Money Control
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Liquidation, weather and stock market improvement make for a volatile week in the markets
Many markets ended up mixed to lower this week, Carah Hart of the Red River Farm Network said on this week's Agweek Market Wrap. Randy Martinson of Martinson Ag Risk Management said a few factors, including massive fund liquidation, weather conditions and pressures from an improved stock market all played a part.
Many markets ended up mixed to lower this week, Carah Hart of the Red River Farm Network said on this week's Agweek Market Wrap. Randy Martinson of Martinson Ag Risk Management said a few factors, including massive fund liquidation, weather conditions and pressures from an improved stock market all played a part.
On the fund liquidation side, Martinson said it was somewhat of a seasonal pullback that happens during the transition from planting to growing season. Warm weather has been mostly beneficial to crop conditions, other than in the hot, dry Corn Belt, and improved stock market conditions likely led to some people pulling money out of commodities and putting them back in the stock market. AG Week
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India - Telangana draws up big plans for oil palm cultivation
Hyderabad: With the demand for palm oil increasing significantly, the Telangana government aims to increase oil palm cultivation in the State by over three-folds — from the existing 62,000 acres to two lakh acres by next February. For this, the government has allocated a Rs 1,000-crore outlay in the current budget.
Currently, the Telangana State Cooperative Oil Seeds Growers Federation Limited (TSOILFED) is growing oil palm in 62,000 acres. With the government aiming to increase the cultivation, private agencies are being roped in to promote oil palm in several districts. Telangana Today
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India - GEF to set up ₹500 cr edible oil manufacturing facility in Telangana
Aims to tap upcoming oil palm output in the State
Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd (GEF India) is planning to augment its production capacities by setting up an integrated processing facility.
The ₹500-crore facility will come up in Telangana in the next 18-24 months. “It is going to be an integrated processing facility, unlike the ones we have near the ports in Andhra Pradesh where we are processing crude oil that we import,” Pradeep Chowdhry, Managing Director of Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd, has said.
“Though we are the leaders in the State, we don’t have a facility in Telangana. Now that the State is promoting oil palm cultivation in a big way, we see a good scope for setting up a manufacturing facility. We are looking for 40-50 acres of land for setting up the facility,” he said. The State would have 7-8 lakh hectares of oil palm in the next few years. The Hindu Businessline
Russia was a large source of fertilize; now prices are skyrocketing
MEDAN, Indonesia -- The past few months have been challenging for palm oil farmer Albertus Wawan.
The owner of a 5-hectare plantation in Sekadau Regency, West Kalimantan, this year was first hit by Indonesia's palm oil export ban. In April the government announced it would attempt to curb rising cooking oil prices by keeping the raw material to itself.
Crude palm oil is a key ingredient in cooking oil. Rather than bring down prices of the staple, though, the ban caused the price of Wawan's palm fruit bunches to collapse.
"I used to make around 4,000 rupiah (27 cents) per kilogram for my fresh fruit bunches," Wawan told Nikkei Asia, "but then the price dropped to about 2,000 rupiah, and that's not a fair price."
The ban has since been overturned, and exports are picking up again. Wawan and his smallholder palm oil business should be turning a corner, too. Instead, he faces a new problem, one that threatens more severe consequences: a lack of chemical fertilizer. Asia Nikkei
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Indonesian palm oil farmers call for removal of local sales rules
JAKARTA, June 24 (Reuters) - Indonesian farmers want authorities to scrap a requirement for exporters to sell a portion of their palm oil domestically, a move that should boost shipments and mean mills pay more for fresh fruit bunches (FFBs), a farming official said.
Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of palm oil, shocked global edible oil markets by banning palm oil shipments for three weeks to May 23 in an attempt to cool domestic cooking oil prices.
The ban was eventually lifted because of the pain it caused an industry that employs 17 million workers and with farmers complaining the policy had caused FFB prices to plunge 70%.
Since lifting the ban, the government has cut export taxes and launched an export acceleration programme, but farmers say FFB prices have remained depressed. Nasdaq
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Indonesia - Sad, a kilo of palm fruit is worth 2 glasses of mineral water
JAKARTA, SAWIT INDONESIA – In the last two months, oil palm farmers have really felt the bitterness of life. The price of oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) received by independent smallholders is already below Rp 1,000 per kilogram. Even in some areas, farmers have to sell between Rp 700-Rp 850/kilogram.
In Indragiri Hilir, the price of FFB fell from Rp 3,000/kilogram last April. Now it is Rp 450 per kilogram.
"The price of Rp. 450 per kilogram was at the agent level last Thursday (23 June 2022)," said Mulono Apriyanto, DPD Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Farmers Association (APKASINDO) Indragiri Hilir, Riau, in a telephone conversation, Friday (24 June 2022) .
Meanwhile in Jambi, the price of FFB received by farmers is between Rp 500-Rp 900 per kilogram. Whereas in last April, the price of FFB received by farmers was still above Rp. 3,000 per kilogram.
The low price of palm oil has been voiced by oil palm farmers to local and central governments. This is because the price is so low that it interferes with the maintenance of plants, which have much higher production costs.
For information, the cost of production is Rp. 1,800 per kilogram due to the skyrocketing prices of fertilizers and pesticides.
Unfortunately, a kilo of FFB received by farmers is equivalent to one or two glasses of mineral water on the market which is sold for Rp. 500 per glass. Sawit Indonesia
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Indonesia - Farmers Ask for Government Responsibility, Don't Just Take Taxes
Bangko, elaeis.co - The chairman of the DPD Apkasindo Merangin, Joko Wahyono, assessed that the buildup of CPO in Indonesia was caused by the high export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) set by the government.
“The CPO export tax is up to Rp. 14,200/kg. Of course, this has an impact on the price of FFB, which is increasingly being squeezed by palm oil mills (PKS)," said Joko to elaeis.co.
“Export permits are also difficult to get out, so CPO is piling up. The government must be responsible, the government must simplify export regulations and lower export taxes," he added.
According to him, the government must also explain to the public why the domestic CPO price (KPBN) is very low at Rp. 10,800/kg, while in the global market it is high at USD 1.7 or Rp. 25,000/kg.
"This thing that is a mystery in the eyes of the public needs to be unraveled so that it becomes educational material," he said.
Due to the low price of CPO in the country, the price of FFB farmers fell below Rp. 1,600/kg. In fact, he said, the production cost of FFB reached Rp. 1,800/kg.
“Farmers lose mass. In fact, some are not selling because the PKS has closed the impact of the CPO storage tank being full due to not being able to export it," he said. Elaeis
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FMCG stocks surge on easing concerns over margins
Shares of fast-moving consumer goods companies saw hefty buying on June 24 on the perception that ongoing decline in global commodity prices could improve profitability of these companies going ahead.
FMCG companies had come under pressure earlier this year as rising prices of commodities, such as wheat, crude palm oil and others, led to fears of continued decline in margins of these companies. In the quarter ended March, most FMCG companies reported a year-on-year decline in their margins due to high input price inflation.
However, recent decline in global commodity prices due to rising concerns over demand in the West and the government’s efforts to contain prices of key imports like edible oils have helped ease concerns around margins of these companies. Money Control
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Liquidation, weather and stock market improvement make for a volatile week in the markets
Many markets ended up mixed to lower this week, Carah Hart of the Red River Farm Network said on this week's Agweek Market Wrap. Randy Martinson of Martinson Ag Risk Management said a few factors, including massive fund liquidation, weather conditions and pressures from an improved stock market all played a part.
Many markets ended up mixed to lower this week, Carah Hart of the Red River Farm Network said on this week's Agweek Market Wrap. Randy Martinson of Martinson Ag Risk Management said a few factors, including massive fund liquidation, weather conditions and pressures from an improved stock market all played a part.
On the fund liquidation side, Martinson said it was somewhat of a seasonal pullback that happens during the transition from planting to growing season. Warm weather has been mostly beneficial to crop conditions, other than in the hot, dry Corn Belt, and improved stock market conditions likely led to some people pulling money out of commodities and putting them back in the stock market. AG Week
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India - Telangana draws up big plans for oil palm cultivation
Hyderabad: With the demand for palm oil increasing significantly, the Telangana government aims to increase oil palm cultivation in the State by over three-folds — from the existing 62,000 acres to two lakh acres by next February. For this, the government has allocated a Rs 1,000-crore outlay in the current budget.
Currently, the Telangana State Cooperative Oil Seeds Growers Federation Limited (TSOILFED) is growing oil palm in 62,000 acres. With the government aiming to increase the cultivation, private agencies are being roped in to promote oil palm in several districts. Telangana Today
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India - GEF to set up ₹500 cr edible oil manufacturing facility in Telangana
Aims to tap upcoming oil palm output in the State
Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd (GEF India) is planning to augment its production capacities by setting up an integrated processing facility.
The ₹500-crore facility will come up in Telangana in the next 18-24 months. “It is going to be an integrated processing facility, unlike the ones we have near the ports in Andhra Pradesh where we are processing crude oil that we import,” Pradeep Chowdhry, Managing Director of Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd, has said.
“Though we are the leaders in the State, we don’t have a facility in Telangana. Now that the State is promoting oil palm cultivation in a big way, we see a good scope for setting up a manufacturing facility. We are looking for 40-50 acres of land for setting up the facility,” he said. The State would have 7-8 lakh hectares of oil palm in the next few years. The Hindu Businessline
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Indonesia - Palm Oil Supply Growing But Exports Remain Low, Says GAPKI
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) on Thursday said Indonesia’s palm oil product exports in April this year were lower than the same month in 2021 with 2,018 tons from 2,636 tons. He explained that this is mainly because the government introduced a policy intended to increase the domestic supply of cooking oil.
“The low exports are caused by the government adding the supply of domestic cooking oil because up until April the price of that commodity has not reached the levels that are expected,” GAPKI executive director Mukti Sardjono wrote in his statement on June 23.
He also mentioned the prices of Cif Rotterdam's crude palm oil (CPO) in April were US$ 1,719, down from US$ 1,813 in March. In line with prices, the value of exports fell from US$ 3,513 million in March to US$ 3,435 million in April. Tempo
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Indonesian palm oil workers to arrive in Malaysia
Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic. The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters.JakartaPost
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India - Humble rice bran becomes hot commodity as India scours for edible oils
MUMBAI, June 24 (Reuters) - Rice bran has become a sought-after commodity in India as the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils tries to overcome an edible oil shortage caused by global supply disruptions.
A by-product in rice milling, rice bran has been traditionally used for cattle and poultry feed. In recent years, oil mills have started extracting rice oil, which is popular among health-conscious consumers but historically more expensive than rival oils.
Rice bran oil accounts for a small portion of overall vegoil consumption in India but is one of the fastest-growing among edible oils, industry officials say, and production and imports are set to increase to meet the demand.
The recent rally in global edible oil prices fuelled by Indonesia's restrictions on palm oil exports and disruptions to sunflower oil shipments from Ukraine has wiped out rice bran oil's traditional premium over rival oils. That has triggered a surge in demand for bran oil which has similar taste properties to sunflower oil. Reuters
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Nigeria - Oil Palm Cultivation: Experts Warn Against Depletion Of Cross River Forest Reserves
June 23, (THEWILL) – Solidaridad West Africa, a solution oriented Civil Society organisation, in Cross River, has warned against depletion of the state’s forest reserves to expand oil palm production.
Rather, oil palm farmers in the state can still increase their production capacity without necessarily tampering with the state’s forest reserve by the adoption of Best Management Practices.
Programme Manager, Oil Palm Country Management Lead, Solidaridad Nigeria, Mr Kenechukwu Onukwube, disclosed this in Calabar during a multi stakeholders capacity building workshop.
Mr Onukwube was represented by Ernest Ita, the senior Programme Officer, who spoke on the topic, “Reclaiming Sustainability In Nigeria.”
“We can still do oil palm without necessarily getting the rainforest depleted. This is achievable through adoption of best management practices.
“We discourage farmers from pulling and cutting down remnants of Cross River State forest, which is left just because they want to cultivate oil palm. The Will Nigeria
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West African communities take action against land grabbing Belgian company
Five representatives from three West African countries organised a protest against SIAT, a Belgian company that produces palm oil and rubber in Africa, accusing them of land-grabbing and damaging their environment.
The action, which took place at SIAT’s headquarters in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe (a district of Zaventem), was attended by some 40 representatives from Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast on Wednesday, as well as CIDSE, Entraide & Fraternité and CNCD-11.11.11. They carried banners with slogans like “SIAT, give us back our land” and “Stop Injustice in African Territories”.
The consortium of communities has denounced what they say is land grabbing by the company and its violation of human rights.
Damage on various fronts
SIAT is one of the five main companies that control 75% of oil palm plantations on the African continent and sells palm oil products to large multinational corporations such as Unilever and Nestlé, while its rubber products feed into the supply chains of the international giants of the tyre industry, such as Michelin and Goodyear.
The group owns 46,100 hectares of oil palm plantations and 24,000 hectares of rubber plantations, however, part of those plantations might be on stolen land. Brussels Times
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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) on Thursday said Indonesia’s palm oil product exports in April this year were lower than the same month in 2021 with 2,018 tons from 2,636 tons. He explained that this is mainly because the government introduced a policy intended to increase the domestic supply of cooking oil.
“The low exports are caused by the government adding the supply of domestic cooking oil because up until April the price of that commodity has not reached the levels that are expected,” GAPKI executive director Mukti Sardjono wrote in his statement on June 23.
He also mentioned the prices of Cif Rotterdam's crude palm oil (CPO) in April were US$ 1,719, down from US$ 1,813 in March. In line with prices, the value of exports fell from US$ 3,513 million in March to US$ 3,435 million in April. Tempo
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Indonesian palm oil workers to arrive in Malaysia
Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic. The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters.JakartaPost
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India - Humble rice bran becomes hot commodity as India scours for edible oils
MUMBAI, June 24 (Reuters) - Rice bran has become a sought-after commodity in India as the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils tries to overcome an edible oil shortage caused by global supply disruptions.
A by-product in rice milling, rice bran has been traditionally used for cattle and poultry feed. In recent years, oil mills have started extracting rice oil, which is popular among health-conscious consumers but historically more expensive than rival oils.
Rice bran oil accounts for a small portion of overall vegoil consumption in India but is one of the fastest-growing among edible oils, industry officials say, and production and imports are set to increase to meet the demand.
The recent rally in global edible oil prices fuelled by Indonesia's restrictions on palm oil exports and disruptions to sunflower oil shipments from Ukraine has wiped out rice bran oil's traditional premium over rival oils. That has triggered a surge in demand for bran oil which has similar taste properties to sunflower oil. Reuters
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Nigeria - Oil Palm Cultivation: Experts Warn Against Depletion Of Cross River Forest Reserves
June 23, (THEWILL) – Solidaridad West Africa, a solution oriented Civil Society organisation, in Cross River, has warned against depletion of the state’s forest reserves to expand oil palm production.
Rather, oil palm farmers in the state can still increase their production capacity without necessarily tampering with the state’s forest reserve by the adoption of Best Management Practices.
Programme Manager, Oil Palm Country Management Lead, Solidaridad Nigeria, Mr Kenechukwu Onukwube, disclosed this in Calabar during a multi stakeholders capacity building workshop.
Mr Onukwube was represented by Ernest Ita, the senior Programme Officer, who spoke on the topic, “Reclaiming Sustainability In Nigeria.”
“We can still do oil palm without necessarily getting the rainforest depleted. This is achievable through adoption of best management practices.
“We discourage farmers from pulling and cutting down remnants of Cross River State forest, which is left just because they want to cultivate oil palm. The Will Nigeria
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West African communities take action against land grabbing Belgian company
Five representatives from three West African countries organised a protest against SIAT, a Belgian company that produces palm oil and rubber in Africa, accusing them of land-grabbing and damaging their environment.
The action, which took place at SIAT’s headquarters in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe (a district of Zaventem), was attended by some 40 representatives from Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast on Wednesday, as well as CIDSE, Entraide & Fraternité and CNCD-11.11.11. They carried banners with slogans like “SIAT, give us back our land” and “Stop Injustice in African Territories”.
The consortium of communities has denounced what they say is land grabbing by the company and its violation of human rights.
Damage on various fronts
SIAT is one of the five main companies that control 75% of oil palm plantations on the African continent and sells palm oil products to large multinational corporations such as Unilever and Nestlé, while its rubber products feed into the supply chains of the international giants of the tyre industry, such as Michelin and Goodyear.
The group owns 46,100 hectares of oil palm plantations and 24,000 hectares of rubber plantations, however, part of those plantations might be on stolen land. Brussels Times
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Ukraine conflict hurting palm oil supplies, says Ahold Delhaize CEO
LONDON — Sustainable palm oil is becoming harder to find as food manufacturers use it to replace sunflower oil sourced from Ukraine and to meet environmental goals, Ahold Delhaize’s CEO told Reuters.
Palm oil, whose production is known for devastating rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia, has for decades been a public relations problem for the retail and consumer goods industry. Several companies, from Pepsico to Unilever and P&G, have tried to distance themselves from shopper backlash, setting ambitious goals to make their palm oil supply chains sustainable.
Ahold – the owner of more than 20 retail brands including Albert Heijn in the Netherlands and Stop & Shop in the United States – said it only relies on sustainable palm oil, which is becoming harder to source.
“As the sunflower oil from Ukraine or Russia fell away, those countries have 60% lower production there. People are looking for replacing oils and, of course, there’s more demand for palm oil,” said Ahold CEO Frans Muller, speaking from the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Summit conference in Dublin. Financial Post
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Global food makers, retailers remain in crisis mode
DUBLIN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Global retailers and consumer goods makers remain in crisis mode and expect consumer behavior to remain unpredictable for the foreseeable future, top industry executives told a conference in Dublin this week.
Since the start of 2020, the STOXX Europe 600 Retail EUR Price Index (.SXRP) has lost more than a fifth of its value. The equivalent index for European food and beverage makers <.SX3P) is down more than 4%.
In that time, political tensions have risen; climate change has entered "another stage of crisis"; the macro-environment has changed dramatically; and the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, Carrefour Chief Executive Alexandre Bompard said at the Consumer Goods Forum's Global Summit on Tuesday. Reuters
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Indonesian palm oil workers to arrive in Malaysia after bureaucratic hiccups
Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic.
The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters. BD News24
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Malaysia palm oil firm Kulim receives first post-pandemic migrant workers
KUALA LUMPUR : Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad has received its first "post-pandemic batch" of migrant workers, the palm oil planter said on Thursday (Jun 23) , paving the way for more workers to enter Malaysia and help ease a severe labour crunch after bureaucratic hiccups.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its plantation, manufacturing, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity rebounds from the pandemic. Channel News Asia
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Malaysia State Firm Weighs IPO for $1 Billion Palm Oil Arm
(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s state-owned investment firm Johor Corp. could seek to raise about 1 billion ringgit ($227 million) in an initial public offering of its plantation unit, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The investment arm of the Johor state government is asking bankers for pitches for the potential listing of Kulim Malaysia Bhd., and is targeting a valuation of around $1 billion for the unit, the people said. An IPO in Kuala Lumpur could happen as early as next year, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the process is private.
The Kulim listing would come as a three year rally in crude palm oil prices has begun to sputter, falling from its peak in March as Indonesia ramps up exports.
Deliberations are ongoing and details of the IPO such as size and timing could change, the people said.
Johor Corp. is continuously reviewing its investments, and is committed to improving the value proposition of Kulim, said Hasnina Hafiz, head of group corporate communications, in response to a query from Bloomberg News. BNN Bloomberg
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Malaysia - Bursa Malaysia completes first physical delivery for East Malaysia CPO futures contract in Sarawak
Futures and options exchange Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad (BMD) has announced the completion of the first physical delivery of its East Malaysia Crude Palm Oil Futures Contract (FEPO) in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
The delivery of 10 contracts at one of the approved Port Tank Installations (“PTIs”) in Bintulu, represented 250 tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO), the company said in the 14 June statement.
The PTI is operated by Biport Bulkers Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bintulu Port Holdings.
Following the delivery on 10 June, BMD said physical deliveries under the FEPO contract had now taken place in all three PTIs in East Malaysia – Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Bintulu.
“The FEPO, which was launched in October 2021, aims to provide an effective instrument for physical players and participants in the East Malaysia palm oil market to manage price risk, particularly in a highly volatile environment,” BMD CEO Samuel Ho said.
All physical deliveries made under BMD’s Crude Palm Oil Futures (FCPO) and FEPO contracts must be sourced from palm oil mills that meet the Oil Palm Management Certification (OPMC) under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme’s requirements. Oils and Fats International
LONDON — Sustainable palm oil is becoming harder to find as food manufacturers use it to replace sunflower oil sourced from Ukraine and to meet environmental goals, Ahold Delhaize’s CEO told Reuters.
Palm oil, whose production is known for devastating rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia, has for decades been a public relations problem for the retail and consumer goods industry. Several companies, from Pepsico to Unilever and P&G, have tried to distance themselves from shopper backlash, setting ambitious goals to make their palm oil supply chains sustainable.
Ahold – the owner of more than 20 retail brands including Albert Heijn in the Netherlands and Stop & Shop in the United States – said it only relies on sustainable palm oil, which is becoming harder to source.
“As the sunflower oil from Ukraine or Russia fell away, those countries have 60% lower production there. People are looking for replacing oils and, of course, there’s more demand for palm oil,” said Ahold CEO Frans Muller, speaking from the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Summit conference in Dublin. Financial Post
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Global food makers, retailers remain in crisis mode
DUBLIN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Global retailers and consumer goods makers remain in crisis mode and expect consumer behavior to remain unpredictable for the foreseeable future, top industry executives told a conference in Dublin this week.
Since the start of 2020, the STOXX Europe 600 Retail EUR Price Index (.SXRP) has lost more than a fifth of its value. The equivalent index for European food and beverage makers <.SX3P) is down more than 4%.
In that time, political tensions have risen; climate change has entered "another stage of crisis"; the macro-environment has changed dramatically; and the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, Carrefour Chief Executive Alexandre Bompard said at the Consumer Goods Forum's Global Summit on Tuesday. Reuters
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Indonesian palm oil workers to arrive in Malaysia after bureaucratic hiccups
Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic.
The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters. BD News24
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Malaysia palm oil firm Kulim receives first post-pandemic migrant workers
KUALA LUMPUR : Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad has received its first "post-pandemic batch" of migrant workers, the palm oil planter said on Thursday (Jun 23) , paving the way for more workers to enter Malaysia and help ease a severe labour crunch after bureaucratic hiccups.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its plantation, manufacturing, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity rebounds from the pandemic. Channel News Asia
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Malaysia State Firm Weighs IPO for $1 Billion Palm Oil Arm
(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s state-owned investment firm Johor Corp. could seek to raise about 1 billion ringgit ($227 million) in an initial public offering of its plantation unit, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The investment arm of the Johor state government is asking bankers for pitches for the potential listing of Kulim Malaysia Bhd., and is targeting a valuation of around $1 billion for the unit, the people said. An IPO in Kuala Lumpur could happen as early as next year, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the process is private.
The Kulim listing would come as a three year rally in crude palm oil prices has begun to sputter, falling from its peak in March as Indonesia ramps up exports.
Deliberations are ongoing and details of the IPO such as size and timing could change, the people said.
Johor Corp. is continuously reviewing its investments, and is committed to improving the value proposition of Kulim, said Hasnina Hafiz, head of group corporate communications, in response to a query from Bloomberg News. BNN Bloomberg
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Malaysia - Bursa Malaysia completes first physical delivery for East Malaysia CPO futures contract in Sarawak
Futures and options exchange Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad (BMD) has announced the completion of the first physical delivery of its East Malaysia Crude Palm Oil Futures Contract (FEPO) in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
The delivery of 10 contracts at one of the approved Port Tank Installations (“PTIs”) in Bintulu, represented 250 tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO), the company said in the 14 June statement.
The PTI is operated by Biport Bulkers Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bintulu Port Holdings.
Following the delivery on 10 June, BMD said physical deliveries under the FEPO contract had now taken place in all three PTIs in East Malaysia – Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Bintulu.
“The FEPO, which was launched in October 2021, aims to provide an effective instrument for physical players and participants in the East Malaysia palm oil market to manage price risk, particularly in a highly volatile environment,” BMD CEO Samuel Ho said.
All physical deliveries made under BMD’s Crude Palm Oil Futures (FCPO) and FEPO contracts must be sourced from palm oil mills that meet the Oil Palm Management Certification (OPMC) under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme’s requirements. Oils and Fats International
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Indonesian palm oil workers to arrive in Malaysia after bureaucratic hiccups
KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic.
The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters. Channel News Asia
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Malaysia - 'Negative perceptions of palm oil must stop to ensure competitiveness of exports'
KUALA LUMPUR: The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry today said negative perceptions of palm oil must be put to rest to ensure the competitiveness of exports in the long run.
Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia and Indonesia had for the past two decades been subject to numerous anti-palm oil campaigns by Western countries and the developed world.
"This will affect the marketability of palm oil and its related products in these markets.
"Palm oil and its related products are major revenue contributors to the country's economy and have played a significant role in reducing rural poverty by providing employment and improving infrastructure," she said in a statement. New Straits Times
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Europe and UK pour 17,000 tons of cooking oil into vehicles a day
Analysis finds 58% of rapeseed oil in Europe is burned for fuel despite soaring prices and climate impact
Europe and the UK are pouring 17,000 tons – or about 19 million bottles – of cooking oil into vehicle fuel tanks every day, even though it is up to two-and-a-half times more expensive than before 2021, according to new analysis.
The equivalent of another 14 million bottles a day of palm and soy oil – mostly from Indonesia and South America – is also burned for fuel, the research says.
Vegetable oil prices are spiralling in large part due to the war in Ukraine, which is Europe’s largest supplier of rapeseed and the world’s largest source of sunflower oil.
But 58% of the rapeseed – and 9% of the sunflower oil – consumed in Europe between 2015 and 2019 was burned in cars and trucks, even though their climate impacts may be even worse than fossil fuels. The Guardian UK
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Paraguay wants to build South America’s largest biofuels plant
US$1 billion Omega Green plant is expected to be completed in 2025. Communities and environmental organisations have raised concerns
n Paraguay, the announcement of a biofuels plant set to be the largest in South America has divided the country. While the company behind it and the government are keen to highlight the potential economic impacts of the project, and claim the soy used to fuel it will not be linked to deforestation, environmental organisations have questioned the commitments.
The Omega Green plant aims to produce renewable diesel (also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO) and renewable aviation fuel, as well as processing by-products, including propane, butane, naphtha and acid gases. It is expected to start operating in 2025 and will be located near the city of Villeta, 45 kilometres south of the capital, Asunción. Dialogo Chino
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India - Oil palm mission: State that pioneered initiative still has potential to be country’s leader, say experts
Karnataka conceived the idea back in 1986 to cultivate oil palm particularly in irrigated regions
The oil palm mission started by the Centre in 2020-21 has started gaining traction particularly after the edible oil import was hit due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Karnataka had conceived the idea of palm oil mission about 35 years ago, though it did not succeed due to various reasons. Experts suggest that Karnataka should revive the mission as it has a conducive environment for oil palm cultivation which can also contribute to increasing farmers’ incomes.
The idea of the mission had taken shape in 1985 when then Horticulture Minister B. Somashekhar visited the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) in Kasaragod, Kerala, to interact with scientists. He had formed a committee headed by noted scientist P. Rethinam of the CPCRI to study the feasibility in Karnataka. The Hindu
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Pakistan - Govt Withdraws Customs Duty on Palm Oil Imports from Indonesia Till End-June
The Federal Government has decided to withdraw customs duty on the import of palm oil from Indonesia up to 30 June 2022.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday. According to the notification, the import of edible palm oil falls under PCT codes 1511.1000, 1511.9010, 1511.9020, and 1511.9030 for shipments originating from all sources except Indonesia for the period commencing on the 10 June 2022 and ending on the 30 June 2022.
The notification says that the current rate of customs duty on the import of different products of palm oil from other countries will be intact. It is important to mention here that the Pakistan government has charged customs duty on the import of palm oil from different countries. Pro Pakistan
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KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia will on Wednesday receive the first group of Indonesian migrant workers since reopening its borders, with the hopes of easing a major labour shortage in palm oil plantations.
The world's second-largest palm oil producer lacks at least 1.2 million workers across its manufacturing, plantation, and construction sectors, a shortage worsening daily as economic activity bounces back from the pandemic.
The country has not seen a significant return of migrant workers despite reopening borders in April due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections.
"As of today we have approved requests for 4,699 workers for plantation (sector) only," Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, told Reuters. Channel News Asia
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Malaysia - 'Negative perceptions of palm oil must stop to ensure competitiveness of exports'
KUALA LUMPUR: The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry today said negative perceptions of palm oil must be put to rest to ensure the competitiveness of exports in the long run.
Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said Malaysia and Indonesia had for the past two decades been subject to numerous anti-palm oil campaigns by Western countries and the developed world.
"This will affect the marketability of palm oil and its related products in these markets.
"Palm oil and its related products are major revenue contributors to the country's economy and have played a significant role in reducing rural poverty by providing employment and improving infrastructure," she said in a statement. New Straits Times
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Europe and UK pour 17,000 tons of cooking oil into vehicles a day
Analysis finds 58% of rapeseed oil in Europe is burned for fuel despite soaring prices and climate impact
Europe and the UK are pouring 17,000 tons – or about 19 million bottles – of cooking oil into vehicle fuel tanks every day, even though it is up to two-and-a-half times more expensive than before 2021, according to new analysis.
The equivalent of another 14 million bottles a day of palm and soy oil – mostly from Indonesia and South America – is also burned for fuel, the research says.
Vegetable oil prices are spiralling in large part due to the war in Ukraine, which is Europe’s largest supplier of rapeseed and the world’s largest source of sunflower oil.
But 58% of the rapeseed – and 9% of the sunflower oil – consumed in Europe between 2015 and 2019 was burned in cars and trucks, even though their climate impacts may be even worse than fossil fuels. The Guardian UK
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Paraguay wants to build South America’s largest biofuels plant
US$1 billion Omega Green plant is expected to be completed in 2025. Communities and environmental organisations have raised concerns
n Paraguay, the announcement of a biofuels plant set to be the largest in South America has divided the country. While the company behind it and the government are keen to highlight the potential economic impacts of the project, and claim the soy used to fuel it will not be linked to deforestation, environmental organisations have questioned the commitments.
The Omega Green plant aims to produce renewable diesel (also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO) and renewable aviation fuel, as well as processing by-products, including propane, butane, naphtha and acid gases. It is expected to start operating in 2025 and will be located near the city of Villeta, 45 kilometres south of the capital, Asunción. Dialogo Chino
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India - Oil palm mission: State that pioneered initiative still has potential to be country’s leader, say experts
Karnataka conceived the idea back in 1986 to cultivate oil palm particularly in irrigated regions
The oil palm mission started by the Centre in 2020-21 has started gaining traction particularly after the edible oil import was hit due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Karnataka had conceived the idea of palm oil mission about 35 years ago, though it did not succeed due to various reasons. Experts suggest that Karnataka should revive the mission as it has a conducive environment for oil palm cultivation which can also contribute to increasing farmers’ incomes.
The idea of the mission had taken shape in 1985 when then Horticulture Minister B. Somashekhar visited the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) in Kasaragod, Kerala, to interact with scientists. He had formed a committee headed by noted scientist P. Rethinam of the CPCRI to study the feasibility in Karnataka. The Hindu
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Pakistan - Govt Withdraws Customs Duty on Palm Oil Imports from Indonesia Till End-June
The Federal Government has decided to withdraw customs duty on the import of palm oil from Indonesia up to 30 June 2022.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday. According to the notification, the import of edible palm oil falls under PCT codes 1511.1000, 1511.9010, 1511.9020, and 1511.9030 for shipments originating from all sources except Indonesia for the period commencing on the 10 June 2022 and ending on the 30 June 2022.
The notification says that the current rate of customs duty on the import of different products of palm oil from other countries will be intact. It is important to mention here that the Pakistan government has charged customs duty on the import of palm oil from different countries. Pro Pakistan
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Indonesia - Addressing cooking oil issues prioritized within next two months: govt
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has targeted to address issues pertaining to the distribution, availability, and price control of cooking oil within the next one to two months.
Minister Hasan spoke of having found a recurring problem in the entire cooking oil issue. He delivered the statement prior to attending a plenary cabinet meeting led by President Joko Widodo.
"Indeed, I already know the (actual problem) for this bulk oil (issue). There are three distribution channels, (and) there are 10 thousand (places where they are sold). Right now, I am ordering for (the distribution to be expedited) at more than 10 thousand (places), so people can buy it at a price of Rp14 thousand," he stated.
Later on, at those places, cooking oil would be supplied 24 hours a day, and those would be monitored to see if there was a delay in supply and so on.
The minister believed that this solution could address the issue of bulk cooking oil distribution channels. Antara News
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RSPO CEO Joseph D'Cruz: we need to get better at telling the sustainable palm oil story
The former UN executive is three months into his role leading the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. He tells Eco-Business that the much-criticised industry needs to improve how it communicates the value of certified oil palm.
Joseph D’Cruz, the recently appointed chief executive of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), grew up in Kuantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, at a time when oil palm plantations were proliferating all around him.
He is from a generation that materially benefitted from the palm oil trade, and holds a sympathetic view towards the world’s most widely used — and demonised — vegetable oil.
“People [from Kuantan] associate the oil palm industry with the opportunity to access education, get better homes, and build dignified lives from producing a decent product that feeds a need that the world has in abundance,” he told Eco-Business in an interview at his hotel in Singapore. Eco Business
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has targeted to address issues pertaining to the distribution, availability, and price control of cooking oil within the next one to two months.
Minister Hasan spoke of having found a recurring problem in the entire cooking oil issue. He delivered the statement prior to attending a plenary cabinet meeting led by President Joko Widodo.
"Indeed, I already know the (actual problem) for this bulk oil (issue). There are three distribution channels, (and) there are 10 thousand (places where they are sold). Right now, I am ordering for (the distribution to be expedited) at more than 10 thousand (places), so people can buy it at a price of Rp14 thousand," he stated.
Later on, at those places, cooking oil would be supplied 24 hours a day, and those would be monitored to see if there was a delay in supply and so on.
The minister believed that this solution could address the issue of bulk cooking oil distribution channels. Antara News
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RSPO CEO Joseph D'Cruz: we need to get better at telling the sustainable palm oil story
The former UN executive is three months into his role leading the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. He tells Eco-Business that the much-criticised industry needs to improve how it communicates the value of certified oil palm.
Joseph D’Cruz, the recently appointed chief executive of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), grew up in Kuantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, at a time when oil palm plantations were proliferating all around him.
He is from a generation that materially benefitted from the palm oil trade, and holds a sympathetic view towards the world’s most widely used — and demonised — vegetable oil.
“People [from Kuantan] associate the oil palm industry with the opportunity to access education, get better homes, and build dignified lives from producing a decent product that feeds a need that the world has in abundance,” he told Eco-Business in an interview at his hotel in Singapore. Eco Business
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Nigeria, others Africa’s Tropical Forests Damaged by Europe’s Rubber Addiction
Europe’s demand for rubber to make tires and other products is destroying tropical forests across Africa and proposals from Brussels to limit environmental damage currently do little to address the problem.
A new satellite data study by non-profit Global Witness links European Union rubber imports to the deforestation of 520 square kilometers in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast Liberia and Nigeria since the start of the millennium. Rubber poses a bigger threat to Africa than the bloc’s imports of palm oil, yet it is not included in a law designed to stop trees being cut down outside of the EU.
The findings underscore the damage that demand for commodities has on ecosystems crucial to combating climate change. Forests in West and Central Africa absorb about three times as much carbon dioxide per year as France emits, according to World Bank data.
“The EU’s voracious appetite for rubber is devastating indigenous communities and eroding a vital carbon sink,” said Giulia Bondi, senior EU forests campaigner at Global Witness. “Yet astonishingly a draft law to prevent deforestation-linked products from being sold in Europe doesn’t include rubber.” Naija247 News
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Nigeria - Orhionmwon receives a N35 billion oil palm investment from Obaseki, while Ikoba-Okha LGAs receive a N24 billion cassava contract
In continuation of his commitment towards engendering a mix of production and service-oriented economic revolution in Edo State, the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has attracted a N35 billion oil palm project (10,000 hectares) to Evboesi, Evbonogbon, Urhonigbe and neighboring communities in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State.
In the same vein, he has attracted an integrated agricultural project worth N24 billion to Ologbo Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the State, which have jump-started the economies of the host communities; creating jobs for the youths, emplacing support infrastructure such as boreholes, health care centers, electricity and decent schools.
The economic diversification plan is in consonance with expert advisory of the World Bank that African countries and sub-nationals must create the enabling environment that will attract private capital to critical sectors such as agriculture, energy and enduring infrastructure such as road and rail transportation. TDPEL Media
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India - Arunachal Pradesh : Training Programme Organized In Roing; Raising Awareness On Oil-Palm Cultivation
n an attempt to promote oil palm plantation in Arunachal Pradesh and educate the cultivators about the importance of ‘National Mission on Oil Seed & Oil Palm’, a training-cum-awareness programme for oil-palm growers was conducted by the Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Friday at Roing.
A total of 80 farmers attending the program were provided with oil palm agricultural tools to help them boost their cultivation.
Its worthy to note that oil-palm cultivation, referred as one of the significant topic of debate during the present times along Northeastern regions is believed to be the most land-use efficient oil plant producing about 3-4 tonnes per hectare, whereas other oil crops yield less than one tonne per hectare of land.
According to reports, the expansion target area proposed by the Centre for the next five years in Arunachal Pradesh for oil palm cultivation is 40,000 hectares. NorthEast Today
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Malaysia - Sabah to benefit from collaboration with Dongnam, CCB in POIC Lahad Datu
LAHAD DATU (June 18): Sabah will benefit from its collaboration with China and South Korea’s companies in the development of the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu, POIC Sabah chief executive officer Datuk Fredian Gan said.
He said POIC Lahad Datu signed collaborative agreements with South Korean shipping and logistics operator Dongnam A Circulater Co. Ltd and China Construction Bank (CCB) on July 30, 2021 and April 8, 2022, respectively.
“The fact that they are here over the last three days visiting our facilities at the first opportunity (post Covid) is a clear indication of their seriousness to move forward. Their visit is to take a first-hand look and feel of Lahad Datu town and POIC,” he said in a statement here on Saturday.
POIC Sabah is developing the POIC Lahad Datu industrial park and operating an integrated port infrastructure in the East Coast of Sabah in Lahad Datu.
The CCB delegation was headed by its senior vice-president of strategic development Wang Jiayang while Dongnam’s was led by its president, Su Man Hwang. The Borneo Post
Europe’s demand for rubber to make tires and other products is destroying tropical forests across Africa and proposals from Brussels to limit environmental damage currently do little to address the problem.
A new satellite data study by non-profit Global Witness links European Union rubber imports to the deforestation of 520 square kilometers in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast Liberia and Nigeria since the start of the millennium. Rubber poses a bigger threat to Africa than the bloc’s imports of palm oil, yet it is not included in a law designed to stop trees being cut down outside of the EU.
The findings underscore the damage that demand for commodities has on ecosystems crucial to combating climate change. Forests in West and Central Africa absorb about three times as much carbon dioxide per year as France emits, according to World Bank data.
“The EU’s voracious appetite for rubber is devastating indigenous communities and eroding a vital carbon sink,” said Giulia Bondi, senior EU forests campaigner at Global Witness. “Yet astonishingly a draft law to prevent deforestation-linked products from being sold in Europe doesn’t include rubber.” Naija247 News
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Nigeria - Orhionmwon receives a N35 billion oil palm investment from Obaseki, while Ikoba-Okha LGAs receive a N24 billion cassava contract
In continuation of his commitment towards engendering a mix of production and service-oriented economic revolution in Edo State, the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has attracted a N35 billion oil palm project (10,000 hectares) to Evboesi, Evbonogbon, Urhonigbe and neighboring communities in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State.
In the same vein, he has attracted an integrated agricultural project worth N24 billion to Ologbo Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the State, which have jump-started the economies of the host communities; creating jobs for the youths, emplacing support infrastructure such as boreholes, health care centers, electricity and decent schools.
The economic diversification plan is in consonance with expert advisory of the World Bank that African countries and sub-nationals must create the enabling environment that will attract private capital to critical sectors such as agriculture, energy and enduring infrastructure such as road and rail transportation. TDPEL Media
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India - Arunachal Pradesh : Training Programme Organized In Roing; Raising Awareness On Oil-Palm Cultivation
n an attempt to promote oil palm plantation in Arunachal Pradesh and educate the cultivators about the importance of ‘National Mission on Oil Seed & Oil Palm’, a training-cum-awareness programme for oil-palm growers was conducted by the Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Friday at Roing.
A total of 80 farmers attending the program were provided with oil palm agricultural tools to help them boost their cultivation.
Its worthy to note that oil-palm cultivation, referred as one of the significant topic of debate during the present times along Northeastern regions is believed to be the most land-use efficient oil plant producing about 3-4 tonnes per hectare, whereas other oil crops yield less than one tonne per hectare of land.
According to reports, the expansion target area proposed by the Centre for the next five years in Arunachal Pradesh for oil palm cultivation is 40,000 hectares. NorthEast Today
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Malaysia - Sabah to benefit from collaboration with Dongnam, CCB in POIC Lahad Datu
LAHAD DATU (June 18): Sabah will benefit from its collaboration with China and South Korea’s companies in the development of the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu, POIC Sabah chief executive officer Datuk Fredian Gan said.
He said POIC Lahad Datu signed collaborative agreements with South Korean shipping and logistics operator Dongnam A Circulater Co. Ltd and China Construction Bank (CCB) on July 30, 2021 and April 8, 2022, respectively.
“The fact that they are here over the last three days visiting our facilities at the first opportunity (post Covid) is a clear indication of their seriousness to move forward. Their visit is to take a first-hand look and feel of Lahad Datu town and POIC,” he said in a statement here on Saturday.
POIC Sabah is developing the POIC Lahad Datu industrial park and operating an integrated port infrastructure in the East Coast of Sabah in Lahad Datu.
The CCB delegation was headed by its senior vice-president of strategic development Wang Jiayang while Dongnam’s was led by its president, Su Man Hwang. The Borneo Post
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Europe Desperate to Wean itself off Russian energy dependence. This is how
Russia's war in Ukraine has left European governments scrambling for new sources of oil and gas. This week the European Union, Israel and Egypt signed a tripartite natural gas deal. Rome and Tel Aviv began similar talks. Europe is desperate to wean itself off Russian fossil fuel dependence and this is how they are going about it. TRT World
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Europe's Refiners Call Attention to Transition Risks
Europe’s refining industry is calling on the EU to develop a liquid fuels strategy to help balance the continent's move away from fossil fuels. The Ukraine war has exposed Europe's fragile energy security and dependence on Russian supplies. It has given European consumers a shock preview of the fuel price spikes that could characterize the energy transition unless policymakers adjust course, said John Cooper, director of Fuels Europe. “We have tens of millions of customers every day for petrol, diesel, jet fuel, marine fuel and all the specialty products ... Many of them will want us to be very active on climate action but they still need to get to work tomorrow,” Cooper told Energy Intelligence.
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Brussels Wants at Least €53B for European Agriculture in 2023
While the economy, global food security crisis and European energy crisis are the main priorities of the latest European Commission budget, sustainable agriculture also has a prominent place.
Brussels has asked the European Union’s 27 member states to agree to a €186 billion budget, of which almost €54 billion will fund the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The new CAP will also receive slightly more than €1 billion from the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.
According to a statement from the commission, a relevant part of the CAP funds will be used to strengthen the resilience of agri-food and fisheries at a very challenging moment, characterized by expected global food supply shortages. Crisis management and sustainable agriculture will be the main focus of strengthening this resilience. Olive Oil Times
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India inks key pacts with Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam as Jaishankar holds meets
This was the first time that India hosted such a special meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The foreign ministers agreed on several initiatives to drive Asean-India ties.
India signed several agreements with Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as external affairs minister S Jaishankar had a series of bilateral engagements on the margins of the special Asean-India foreign ministers meeting.
This was the first time that India hosted such a special meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The foreign ministers agreed on several initiatives to drive Asean-India ties.
Jaishankar and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi held the bilateral joint commission meeting on Friday and discussed ways to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides. They signed an agreement on exemption from visa requirement for diplomatic and official passport holders and witnessed the exchange of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the National Narcotics Board of Indonesia on combating trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, and an MoU between the National Sugar Institute in Kanpur and the Politeknic Perkebunan LPP in Yogyakarta. Hindustan Times
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Malaysia’s January-May trade performance breaches RM1t
MALAYSIA’S trade performance has surpassed the RM1 trillion mark between January and May 2022.
The International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) said its five-month trade, exports, imports and trade surplus during the period has managed to register the highest value.
“Trade climbed by 25.1% to RM1.09 trillion compared to the same period last year.
“Exports jumped by 23.5% to RM592.97 billion and imports leaped by 27% to RM491.85 billion while trade surplus edged up by 9% to RM101.12 billion,” it said in a statement today.
On the other hand, Malaysia’s trade performance in May this year observed the fastest growth since November 2021 in which it has increased 33.6% year-on-year (YoY) to RM228.37 billion.
The country’s exports have also hit a double-digit expansion by 30.5% to RM120.49 billion whereas imports rose 37.3% to RM107.88 billion and trade surplus contracted by 8.3% to RM12.62 billion. The Malaysian Reserve
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Malaysia - Adopt greater automation to reduce dependency on workers, urges MPIC
KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation owners have been told to be open to hiring workers from countries like India and Pakistan and reduce dependence on Indonesian and Bangladeshi workers.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the ministry also expressed hope for plantation owners to look into long-term solutions to reduce dependency on foreign workers.
Through technological studies and research conducted by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), she said plantation owners were advised to increase the use of automation including drones for the purpose of surveillance and pest control.
"MPIC is confident that the use of automation at plantations will attract local workers to this sector. The use of greater automation will help reduce our dependence on foreign workers and make the industry more resilient in the long-run," she said in a statement. New Straits Times
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Solvay: SUSTAINABLE SOURCING STATEMENT
Related to Palm Oil/
Palm Kernel Oil Chemical Derivatives
Solvay has made sustainability a top priority, and to that end, we practice responsible sourcing. We are committed to use palm oil (PO), palm kernel oil (PKO) and derivatives exclusively from sustainable sources¹. By doing so, we help support sustainable forest management and stop deforestation, in alignment with our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life on Land, 15.2. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are the most productive bio-based oils per hectare produced among oil crops.
However, this attribute could lead to the mismanagement of palm oil production; therefore, palm oil and palm kernel oil must be sourced responsibly. Solvay acts sustainably and is committed to reducing supply chain complexity, including challenges related to deforestation, environmental protection and land conflicts with local communities. We must purchase and act responsibly without compromising biodiversity or human rights. Solvay
Russia's war in Ukraine has left European governments scrambling for new sources of oil and gas. This week the European Union, Israel and Egypt signed a tripartite natural gas deal. Rome and Tel Aviv began similar talks. Europe is desperate to wean itself off Russian fossil fuel dependence and this is how they are going about it. TRT World
------
Europe's Refiners Call Attention to Transition Risks
Europe’s refining industry is calling on the EU to develop a liquid fuels strategy to help balance the continent's move away from fossil fuels. The Ukraine war has exposed Europe's fragile energy security and dependence on Russian supplies. It has given European consumers a shock preview of the fuel price spikes that could characterize the energy transition unless policymakers adjust course, said John Cooper, director of Fuels Europe. “We have tens of millions of customers every day for petrol, diesel, jet fuel, marine fuel and all the specialty products ... Many of them will want us to be very active on climate action but they still need to get to work tomorrow,” Cooper told Energy Intelligence.
------
Brussels Wants at Least €53B for European Agriculture in 2023
While the economy, global food security crisis and European energy crisis are the main priorities of the latest European Commission budget, sustainable agriculture also has a prominent place.
Brussels has asked the European Union’s 27 member states to agree to a €186 billion budget, of which almost €54 billion will fund the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The new CAP will also receive slightly more than €1 billion from the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.
According to a statement from the commission, a relevant part of the CAP funds will be used to strengthen the resilience of agri-food and fisheries at a very challenging moment, characterized by expected global food supply shortages. Crisis management and sustainable agriculture will be the main focus of strengthening this resilience. Olive Oil Times
------
India inks key pacts with Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam as Jaishankar holds meets
This was the first time that India hosted such a special meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The foreign ministers agreed on several initiatives to drive Asean-India ties.
India signed several agreements with Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as external affairs minister S Jaishankar had a series of bilateral engagements on the margins of the special Asean-India foreign ministers meeting.
This was the first time that India hosted such a special meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The foreign ministers agreed on several initiatives to drive Asean-India ties.
Jaishankar and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi held the bilateral joint commission meeting on Friday and discussed ways to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides. They signed an agreement on exemption from visa requirement for diplomatic and official passport holders and witnessed the exchange of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the National Narcotics Board of Indonesia on combating trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, and an MoU between the National Sugar Institute in Kanpur and the Politeknic Perkebunan LPP in Yogyakarta. Hindustan Times
------
Malaysia’s January-May trade performance breaches RM1t
MALAYSIA’S trade performance has surpassed the RM1 trillion mark between January and May 2022.
The International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) said its five-month trade, exports, imports and trade surplus during the period has managed to register the highest value.
“Trade climbed by 25.1% to RM1.09 trillion compared to the same period last year.
“Exports jumped by 23.5% to RM592.97 billion and imports leaped by 27% to RM491.85 billion while trade surplus edged up by 9% to RM101.12 billion,” it said in a statement today.
On the other hand, Malaysia’s trade performance in May this year observed the fastest growth since November 2021 in which it has increased 33.6% year-on-year (YoY) to RM228.37 billion.
The country’s exports have also hit a double-digit expansion by 30.5% to RM120.49 billion whereas imports rose 37.3% to RM107.88 billion and trade surplus contracted by 8.3% to RM12.62 billion. The Malaysian Reserve
------
Malaysia - Adopt greater automation to reduce dependency on workers, urges MPIC
KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation owners have been told to be open to hiring workers from countries like India and Pakistan and reduce dependence on Indonesian and Bangladeshi workers.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the ministry also expressed hope for plantation owners to look into long-term solutions to reduce dependency on foreign workers.
Through technological studies and research conducted by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), she said plantation owners were advised to increase the use of automation including drones for the purpose of surveillance and pest control.
"MPIC is confident that the use of automation at plantations will attract local workers to this sector. The use of greater automation will help reduce our dependence on foreign workers and make the industry more resilient in the long-run," she said in a statement. New Straits Times
------
Solvay: SUSTAINABLE SOURCING STATEMENT
Related to Palm Oil/
Palm Kernel Oil Chemical Derivatives
Solvay has made sustainability a top priority, and to that end, we practice responsible sourcing. We are committed to use palm oil (PO), palm kernel oil (PKO) and derivatives exclusively from sustainable sources¹. By doing so, we help support sustainable forest management and stop deforestation, in alignment with our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life on Land, 15.2. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are the most productive bio-based oils per hectare produced among oil crops.
However, this attribute could lead to the mismanagement of palm oil production; therefore, palm oil and palm kernel oil must be sourced responsibly. Solvay acts sustainably and is committed to reducing supply chain complexity, including challenges related to deforestation, environmental protection and land conflicts with local communities. We must purchase and act responsibly without compromising biodiversity or human rights. Solvay
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Europe’s Rubber Addiction Destroys Africa’s Tropical Forests
Europe’s demand for rubber to make tires and other products is destroying tropical forests across Africa and proposals from Brussels to limit environmental damage currently do little to address the problem.
A new satellite data study by non-profit Global Witness links European Union rubber imports to the deforestation of 520 square kilometers in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast Liberia and Nigeria since the start of the millennium. Rubber poses a bigger threat to Africa than the bloc’s imports of palm oil, yet it is not included in a law designed to stop trees being cut down outside of the EU.
The findings underscore the damage that demand for commodities has on ecosystems crucial to combating climate change. Forests in West and Central Africa absorb about three times as much carbon dioxide per year as France emits, according to World Bank data.
“The EU’s voracious appetite for rubber is devastating indigenous communities and eroding a vital carbon sink,” said Giulia Bondi, senior EU forests campaigner at Global Witness. “Yet astonishingly a draft law to prevent deforestation-linked products from being sold in Europe doesn’t include rubber.” Yahoo
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Global Shortages Are Pushing Food Producers Back Toward Palm Oil
The war in Ukraine is knocking out sunflower oil shipments, derailing efforts to clean up supply chains.
Food producers, responding to consumer demand for sustainable options, have spent years sourcing alternatives for palm oil, a versatile product derived from the oil palm tree, whose farming has led to the destruction of rainforests in Southeast Asia, including critical habitat for endangered orangutans. Now the war in Ukraine is disrupting more than half the global supply of sunflower oil—a substitute of choice for the palm oil found in potato chips, cookies, and nut butters—and consumer goods manufacturers are reversing course. Bloomberg
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Nigeria - Edo advocates oil palm investments
The Edo State Government has called for regional collaboration to drive investment into sustainable oil palm production in Nigeria as part of strategies to lead the country’s industrialisation.
Managing Director of the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi, made the submission during the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Oil Palm Stakeholders’ Engagement session held recently in Asaba, Delta State.
While sharing the Edo State Oil Palm Programme’s (ESOPP) success story, Uwaibi said Edo, Ondo and Delta states could collaborate with the CBN to create a sustainable oil palm production belt, which could lead to the development of the crop and other tree crops in Nigeria.
He added that stakeholders like the federal ministries of industry, agriculture and the Bankers’ Committee are key in driving the plan of creating a national policy for oil palm development. The GuardianNG
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Nigeria - Obaseki agric reforms: Saro Oil Palm commence devt of 10,000 hectares of oil plantation in Edo
BENIN CITY – An integrated agricultural company, Saro Oil Palm Limited has embarked on pre-planting activities in preparation for the development of a 10,000-hectare oil palm plantation in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of Saro Oil Palm Limited, Dr. Tunde Faturonti, during a facility tour and meeting with leaders of Evboesi Community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
Speaking at the farm, Faturonti explained that the company is setting up a 30-hectare nursery, adding “Our plan is to plant 400,000 thousand this year. The plan is that, when you have the pre-germinated nuts, we plant it and nurse it for three months. So, when it’s three months, we will now transfer to the nursery in a bigger bag. Nigerian Observer
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Pakistan - Sindh to plant palm trees over 1,000 acres in Thatta
KARACHI: Sindh’s Coastal Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday decided on plantation of Palm trees over 1000 acres of land in Thatta district.
A meeting of the Coastal Development Authority, chaired by provincial minister Ismail Rahu decided to launch the palm trees plantation project, which have an estimated cost of Rs 356 million.
“Around 60,000 trees will be planted on the land under the project,” Ismail Rahu said. “Palm trees will be planted in current year and a single tree in average will give a yield of one maund oil,” the minister said.
It was briefed in the meeting that the Forest Department has handed over 2,000 acres of land to the Coastal Development Authority for the project.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh Cabinet last year approved plantation of Palm trees on 3000 acres land. Pakistan Today
Europe’s demand for rubber to make tires and other products is destroying tropical forests across Africa and proposals from Brussels to limit environmental damage currently do little to address the problem.
A new satellite data study by non-profit Global Witness links European Union rubber imports to the deforestation of 520 square kilometers in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast Liberia and Nigeria since the start of the millennium. Rubber poses a bigger threat to Africa than the bloc’s imports of palm oil, yet it is not included in a law designed to stop trees being cut down outside of the EU.
The findings underscore the damage that demand for commodities has on ecosystems crucial to combating climate change. Forests in West and Central Africa absorb about three times as much carbon dioxide per year as France emits, according to World Bank data.
“The EU’s voracious appetite for rubber is devastating indigenous communities and eroding a vital carbon sink,” said Giulia Bondi, senior EU forests campaigner at Global Witness. “Yet astonishingly a draft law to prevent deforestation-linked products from being sold in Europe doesn’t include rubber.” Yahoo
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Global Shortages Are Pushing Food Producers Back Toward Palm Oil
The war in Ukraine is knocking out sunflower oil shipments, derailing efforts to clean up supply chains.
Food producers, responding to consumer demand for sustainable options, have spent years sourcing alternatives for palm oil, a versatile product derived from the oil palm tree, whose farming has led to the destruction of rainforests in Southeast Asia, including critical habitat for endangered orangutans. Now the war in Ukraine is disrupting more than half the global supply of sunflower oil—a substitute of choice for the palm oil found in potato chips, cookies, and nut butters—and consumer goods manufacturers are reversing course. Bloomberg
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Nigeria - Edo advocates oil palm investments
The Edo State Government has called for regional collaboration to drive investment into sustainable oil palm production in Nigeria as part of strategies to lead the country’s industrialisation.
Managing Director of the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi, made the submission during the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Oil Palm Stakeholders’ Engagement session held recently in Asaba, Delta State.
While sharing the Edo State Oil Palm Programme’s (ESOPP) success story, Uwaibi said Edo, Ondo and Delta states could collaborate with the CBN to create a sustainable oil palm production belt, which could lead to the development of the crop and other tree crops in Nigeria.
He added that stakeholders like the federal ministries of industry, agriculture and the Bankers’ Committee are key in driving the plan of creating a national policy for oil palm development. The GuardianNG
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Nigeria - Obaseki agric reforms: Saro Oil Palm commence devt of 10,000 hectares of oil plantation in Edo
BENIN CITY – An integrated agricultural company, Saro Oil Palm Limited has embarked on pre-planting activities in preparation for the development of a 10,000-hectare oil palm plantation in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of Saro Oil Palm Limited, Dr. Tunde Faturonti, during a facility tour and meeting with leaders of Evboesi Community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
Speaking at the farm, Faturonti explained that the company is setting up a 30-hectare nursery, adding “Our plan is to plant 400,000 thousand this year. The plan is that, when you have the pre-germinated nuts, we plant it and nurse it for three months. So, when it’s three months, we will now transfer to the nursery in a bigger bag. Nigerian Observer
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Pakistan - Sindh to plant palm trees over 1,000 acres in Thatta
KARACHI: Sindh’s Coastal Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday decided on plantation of Palm trees over 1000 acres of land in Thatta district.
A meeting of the Coastal Development Authority, chaired by provincial minister Ismail Rahu decided to launch the palm trees plantation project, which have an estimated cost of Rs 356 million.
“Around 60,000 trees will be planted on the land under the project,” Ismail Rahu said. “Palm trees will be planted in current year and a single tree in average will give a yield of one maund oil,” the minister said.
It was briefed in the meeting that the Forest Department has handed over 2,000 acres of land to the Coastal Development Authority for the project.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh Cabinet last year approved plantation of Palm trees on 3000 acres land. Pakistan Today
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European rubber imports and financing have driven the destruction of climate-critical forests in West and Central Africa
Key findings
- Industrial rubber plantations across west and central Africa linked to almost 520km2 of deforestation since 2000 – an area 16 times the size of Brussels – suggests new Global Witness analysis.
- The EU imports over 30% of all rubber shipped by Africa’s top producers, yet rubber is excluded from the bloc’s recently proposed anti-deforestation legislation.
- Rubber, not palm oil, appears to be the biggest export-driven threat to west and central Africa’s climate-critical tropical forests. The EU’s rubber imports from leading African producers are worth more than 12 times more than its imports of palm oil from the region
- Forest communities across the region face increasing pressure on land and livelihoods as a result of rubber plantations, some of which were reportedly established without their consent. In some cases, violent repression of community protests against rubber companies by local security services have been reported.
Almost all plantations linked to deforestation are currently owned by just three multinational companies, which together have made deals worth billions of euros with European banks such as Rabobank, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and Barclays. Global Witness
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EU urged to widen deforestation law to include other ecosystems in South America where most of the EU’s commodity-driven deforestation exposure is found.
Draft legislation by the EU designed to reduce its exposure to commodity-driven deforestation would fail to protect large areas of wooded savannah and grassland including in the Cerrado and Gran Chaco, according to Trase research.
The EU is the world’s third largest importer of agricultural commodities such as soy, beef and palm oil linked to tropical deforestation and climate change, surpassed only by China and India. Trase analysis shows that EU commodity imports were associated with 2.7 million hectares of deforestation in 2018. SEI
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Germany - (REPORT) Assessing tropical deforestation in Germany’s agricultural commodity supply chains
Germany’s economy is linked to significant amounts of deforestation risk
Between 2016-2018 – the three most recent years with available data – Germany’s direct
imports from commodity-producing countries were linked to 58,500 hectares (ha) of
tropical deforestation – an area two-thirds the size of Berlin. However, the deforestation
risk associated with Germany’s total estimated consumption, including imports via
other countries which may turn commodities into processed goods, is more than twice
as large, at 138,000 ha of deforestation over the same period. Trase
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Belgium - ‘Savage colonisation’: Belgian company accused of stealing land in Africa
Belgian agro-industrial company Siat has been accused by Ivorian, Nigerian and Ghanaian communities of stealing land and violating human rights.
The Investment Company for Tropical Agriculture (Siat), which has its headquarters in Zaventem, is one of the five big companies that control 75% of the palm oil plantations in Africa.
Siat’s investments in West Africa directly supply the international rubber and palm oil sectors. Currently, the group owns 46,100 hectares of oil palm plantations and 24,000 hectares of rubber plantations.
But part of those plantations might be on stolen land, as Belgian and African NGOs say that the extension of Siat’s plantations in Africa was done without observing the rights of local communities. Brussels Times
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EU - FERN (Publications) PALM OIL PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND TRADE PATTERNS: THE OUTLOOK FROM AN EU PERSPECTIVE
Palm oil is used in nearly everything, from pizza, doughnuts and chocolate, to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and lipstick. It is also used in animal feed and as a biofuel, especially in Indonesia and the European Union (EU).
Since the spring of 2022, palm prices have been unusually high. Those prices have further escalated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There are fears that the higher price will trigger a rise in deforestation rates.
This briefing 'Palm Oil Production, Consumption and Trade Patterns' provides an analysis of recent palm oil production, consumption and trade patterns and considers whether the sharp increase in palm oil prices could lead to further deforestation. FERN
Key findings
- Industrial rubber plantations across west and central Africa linked to almost 520km2 of deforestation since 2000 – an area 16 times the size of Brussels – suggests new Global Witness analysis.
- The EU imports over 30% of all rubber shipped by Africa’s top producers, yet rubber is excluded from the bloc’s recently proposed anti-deforestation legislation.
- Rubber, not palm oil, appears to be the biggest export-driven threat to west and central Africa’s climate-critical tropical forests. The EU’s rubber imports from leading African producers are worth more than 12 times more than its imports of palm oil from the region
- Forest communities across the region face increasing pressure on land and livelihoods as a result of rubber plantations, some of which were reportedly established without their consent. In some cases, violent repression of community protests against rubber companies by local security services have been reported.
Almost all plantations linked to deforestation are currently owned by just three multinational companies, which together have made deals worth billions of euros with European banks such as Rabobank, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and Barclays. Global Witness
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EU urged to widen deforestation law to include other ecosystems in South America where most of the EU’s commodity-driven deforestation exposure is found.
Draft legislation by the EU designed to reduce its exposure to commodity-driven deforestation would fail to protect large areas of wooded savannah and grassland including in the Cerrado and Gran Chaco, according to Trase research.
The EU is the world’s third largest importer of agricultural commodities such as soy, beef and palm oil linked to tropical deforestation and climate change, surpassed only by China and India. Trase analysis shows that EU commodity imports were associated with 2.7 million hectares of deforestation in 2018. SEI
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Germany - (REPORT) Assessing tropical deforestation in Germany’s agricultural commodity supply chains
Germany’s economy is linked to significant amounts of deforestation risk
Between 2016-2018 – the three most recent years with available data – Germany’s direct
imports from commodity-producing countries were linked to 58,500 hectares (ha) of
tropical deforestation – an area two-thirds the size of Berlin. However, the deforestation
risk associated with Germany’s total estimated consumption, including imports via
other countries which may turn commodities into processed goods, is more than twice
as large, at 138,000 ha of deforestation over the same period. Trase
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Belgium - ‘Savage colonisation’: Belgian company accused of stealing land in Africa
Belgian agro-industrial company Siat has been accused by Ivorian, Nigerian and Ghanaian communities of stealing land and violating human rights.
The Investment Company for Tropical Agriculture (Siat), which has its headquarters in Zaventem, is one of the five big companies that control 75% of the palm oil plantations in Africa.
Siat’s investments in West Africa directly supply the international rubber and palm oil sectors. Currently, the group owns 46,100 hectares of oil palm plantations and 24,000 hectares of rubber plantations.
But part of those plantations might be on stolen land, as Belgian and African NGOs say that the extension of Siat’s plantations in Africa was done without observing the rights of local communities. Brussels Times
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EU - FERN (Publications) PALM OIL PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND TRADE PATTERNS: THE OUTLOOK FROM AN EU PERSPECTIVE
Palm oil is used in nearly everything, from pizza, doughnuts and chocolate, to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and lipstick. It is also used in animal feed and as a biofuel, especially in Indonesia and the European Union (EU).
Since the spring of 2022, palm prices have been unusually high. Those prices have further escalated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There are fears that the higher price will trigger a rise in deforestation rates.
This briefing 'Palm Oil Production, Consumption and Trade Patterns' provides an analysis of recent palm oil production, consumption and trade patterns and considers whether the sharp increase in palm oil prices could lead to further deforestation. FERN
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Indonesian president sacks trade minister after palm oil export uproar
JAKARTA, June 15 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, sacking the trade minister and announcing a replacement following controversy over a series of policy reversals on palm oil exports.
Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and a former forestry minister, was sworn in as the country's new trade minister, among other changes.
The previous incumbent Muhammad Lutfi oversaw a flip-flop on policies to contain a surge in domestic cooking oil prices, which included a ban on palm oil shipments from the world's biggest exporter. Reuters
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Pakistan to receive edible oil shipments from Indonesia, Malaysia: PM Shehbaz
Pakistan will receive 10 shipments of edible oil from Indonesia and Malaysia in the next two weeks, revealed a tweet from the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.
“A total of 2.5 million metric tons of edible oil will be supplied from Indonesia to Pakistan,” it said.
On the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a Pakistani delegation visited Indonesia and held talks with the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce.
Following successful negotiations, the two countries agreed that Indonesia would provide 2.5 million metric tons of edible oil to Pakistan immediately.
On the request of the Pakistani delegation, the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce has expedited matters and the first ship full of 30,000 metric tons of edible oil will leave for Pakistan on Tuesday June 14. Business Recorder
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Asian Palm Oil Alliance offers support to oil palm industry in Sri Lanka
In the backdrop of the support being provided by the Government of India to Sri Lanka, the Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) led by India's Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) – the premier association of the vegetable oil industry.
Solvent Extractor’s Association India Executive Director Dr. B.V. Mehtaand trade in India – has written to Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other senior ministers and officials, offering support to the oil palm industry to achieve its fullest potential for the benefit of Sri Lanka’s ailing economy.
The following is the full letter addressed to the Prime Minister from the APOA.
SEA of India along with other Asian countries has formed “The Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA)” with headquarters at SEA India and would like to bring to your kind notice our views and appeal for continuation of Oil Palm plantation in Sri Lanka.
The Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) is a not-for-profit collective of Asian companies and industry organisations operating in palm oil production and/or refining, chaired by the Solvent Extractors Association of India. APOA is concerned about the acute shortage of cooking oil in our neighbouring country of Sri Lanka. Financial TimesLK
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Liberia: Monoculture Plantations Have Long Harmed Communities
For a century, Liberia’s rich lands have attracted multinational corporations to source natural resources like rubber and oil palm. Today, over 10 percent of Liberia’s land mass is owned and occupied by four major oil palm companies.
This massive allocation of arable farmlands and forests to foreign investors has not come without a cost. Many communities who have lived and farmed on the lands for generations found that their land was taken without their free, prior and informed consent. Communities in Grand Cape Mount, Bomi and Maryland counties are now left without land, livelihoods, or food and clean water sources. Importantly, the communities have no clear way to find redress for their grievances.
Across the world, there is newfound energy towards sustainability, and more consumers are unwilling to buy products linked to environmental and human rights abuses.
Emerging policies in the European Union would require human and environmental rights due diligence for all products imported into European markets. Global brands like Nestle and Unilever, which source palm oil from places like Liberia, are adopting “forest positive” policies, pledging to use their supply chains to eliminate deforestation and contribute to rural livelihoods in their sourcing areas. But with supply chains spanning continents from rural Liberia, to the Peruvian Amazon, to the forests of Sumatra, Indonesia, this will be difficult to achieve. Liberian Observer
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JAKARTA, June 15 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, sacking the trade minister and announcing a replacement following controversy over a series of policy reversals on palm oil exports.
Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and a former forestry minister, was sworn in as the country's new trade minister, among other changes.
The previous incumbent Muhammad Lutfi oversaw a flip-flop on policies to contain a surge in domestic cooking oil prices, which included a ban on palm oil shipments from the world's biggest exporter. Reuters
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Pakistan to receive edible oil shipments from Indonesia, Malaysia: PM Shehbaz
Pakistan will receive 10 shipments of edible oil from Indonesia and Malaysia in the next two weeks, revealed a tweet from the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.
“A total of 2.5 million metric tons of edible oil will be supplied from Indonesia to Pakistan,” it said.
On the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a Pakistani delegation visited Indonesia and held talks with the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce.
Following successful negotiations, the two countries agreed that Indonesia would provide 2.5 million metric tons of edible oil to Pakistan immediately.
On the request of the Pakistani delegation, the Indonesian Ministry of Commerce has expedited matters and the first ship full of 30,000 metric tons of edible oil will leave for Pakistan on Tuesday June 14. Business Recorder
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Asian Palm Oil Alliance offers support to oil palm industry in Sri Lanka
In the backdrop of the support being provided by the Government of India to Sri Lanka, the Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) led by India's Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) – the premier association of the vegetable oil industry.
Solvent Extractor’s Association India Executive Director Dr. B.V. Mehtaand trade in India – has written to Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other senior ministers and officials, offering support to the oil palm industry to achieve its fullest potential for the benefit of Sri Lanka’s ailing economy.
The following is the full letter addressed to the Prime Minister from the APOA.
SEA of India along with other Asian countries has formed “The Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA)” with headquarters at SEA India and would like to bring to your kind notice our views and appeal for continuation of Oil Palm plantation in Sri Lanka.
The Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) is a not-for-profit collective of Asian companies and industry organisations operating in palm oil production and/or refining, chaired by the Solvent Extractors Association of India. APOA is concerned about the acute shortage of cooking oil in our neighbouring country of Sri Lanka. Financial TimesLK
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Liberia: Monoculture Plantations Have Long Harmed Communities
For a century, Liberia’s rich lands have attracted multinational corporations to source natural resources like rubber and oil palm. Today, over 10 percent of Liberia’s land mass is owned and occupied by four major oil palm companies.
This massive allocation of arable farmlands and forests to foreign investors has not come without a cost. Many communities who have lived and farmed on the lands for generations found that their land was taken without their free, prior and informed consent. Communities in Grand Cape Mount, Bomi and Maryland counties are now left without land, livelihoods, or food and clean water sources. Importantly, the communities have no clear way to find redress for their grievances.
Across the world, there is newfound energy towards sustainability, and more consumers are unwilling to buy products linked to environmental and human rights abuses.
Emerging policies in the European Union would require human and environmental rights due diligence for all products imported into European markets. Global brands like Nestle and Unilever, which source palm oil from places like Liberia, are adopting “forest positive” policies, pledging to use their supply chains to eliminate deforestation and contribute to rural livelihoods in their sourcing areas. But with supply chains spanning continents from rural Liberia, to the Peruvian Amazon, to the forests of Sumatra, Indonesia, this will be difficult to achieve. Liberian Observer
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Indonesia raises palm oil export allocation to 2.25 mln T
JAKARTA, June 13 (Reuters) - Indonesia's export allocation for palm oil products that is tied to domestic cooking oil distribution has been raised to 2.25 million tonnes, senior trade ministry official Oke Nurwan said on Monday, from around 1 million previously.
Of that allocation, the ministry has issued permits for overseas shipments of 560,421 tonnes of crude palm oil and its derivatives, he said.
This comes on top of the 1.16 million tonnes of export permits issued under the export acceleration programme. Nasdaq/ Reuters
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Indonesia cuts max palm oil export levy to $200, but to rise in August
JAKARTA : Indonesia on Tuesday issued regulations backing recently announced changes on palm oil export tax policy, including lowering the maximum levy rate to $200 a tonne from $375 and charging special rates for its export acceleration programme.
The new rates took effect starting on Tuesday, holding until July 31, when the export acceleration programme ends, according to two trade ministry regulations. Channel News Asia
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India may allow wheat exports to Indonesia in exchange for palm oil
Although India has banned export of wheat last month to assure its adequate availability domestically even as global wheat prices have skyrocketed due to supply concerns, it has kept the option of exports open though government-to-government (G2G) deals, the two added.
India may permit export of wheat to meet Indonesia’s food grain demand through an arrangement where the Southeast Asian nation supplies palm oil without any interruption at a competitive rate to address India’s concerns over shortage of edible oil, one of the key factors powering inflation, two people aware of the matter said, asking not to be named.
Although India has banned export of wheat last month to assure its adequate availability domestically even as global wheat prices have skyrocketed due to supply concerns, it has kept the option of exports open though government-to-government (G2G) deals, the two added.
India imposed a ban on wheat exports on May 13 “with immediate effect” . Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports in April 28 lasted for three weeks. Palm oil, inexpensive when compared to other edible oils, is a preferred cooking medium in India.In 2020-21, India imported 133.5 lakh tonnes of edible oil, out of which the share of palm oil was around 56%. Hindustan Times
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Fitch Publishes Exposure Draft on Sector Navigators - Palm Oil
Fitch Ratings-London-13 June 2022: Fitch Ratings is introducing a new Sector Navigator, Palm Oil, as part of the Addendum to its Corporate Rating Criteria as there is currently no existing Navigator to depict the key sector-specific ratings considerations that we have been conveying through our rating commentaries and other publications. Fitch does not expect any rating changes as a result of the new Navigator.
Fitch invites feedback on the proposed Criteria from market participants. Comments should be sent to [email protected] by 13 July 2022. Fitch will publish on its website any written responses it receives in full, including the names and addresses of such respondents, unless the response is clearly marked as confidential by the respondent. Fitch Ratings
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Swedish food producers switch sunflower oil for palm oil
JAKARTA, June 13 (Reuters) - Indonesia's export allocation for palm oil products that is tied to domestic cooking oil distribution has been raised to 2.25 million tonnes, senior trade ministry official Oke Nurwan said on Monday, from around 1 million previously.
Of that allocation, the ministry has issued permits for overseas shipments of 560,421 tonnes of crude palm oil and its derivatives, he said.
This comes on top of the 1.16 million tonnes of export permits issued under the export acceleration programme. Nasdaq/ Reuters
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Indonesia cuts max palm oil export levy to $200, but to rise in August
JAKARTA : Indonesia on Tuesday issued regulations backing recently announced changes on palm oil export tax policy, including lowering the maximum levy rate to $200 a tonne from $375 and charging special rates for its export acceleration programme.
The new rates took effect starting on Tuesday, holding until July 31, when the export acceleration programme ends, according to two trade ministry regulations. Channel News Asia
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India may allow wheat exports to Indonesia in exchange for palm oil
Although India has banned export of wheat last month to assure its adequate availability domestically even as global wheat prices have skyrocketed due to supply concerns, it has kept the option of exports open though government-to-government (G2G) deals, the two added.
India may permit export of wheat to meet Indonesia’s food grain demand through an arrangement where the Southeast Asian nation supplies palm oil without any interruption at a competitive rate to address India’s concerns over shortage of edible oil, one of the key factors powering inflation, two people aware of the matter said, asking not to be named.
Although India has banned export of wheat last month to assure its adequate availability domestically even as global wheat prices have skyrocketed due to supply concerns, it has kept the option of exports open though government-to-government (G2G) deals, the two added.
India imposed a ban on wheat exports on May 13 “with immediate effect” . Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports in April 28 lasted for three weeks. Palm oil, inexpensive when compared to other edible oils, is a preferred cooking medium in India.In 2020-21, India imported 133.5 lakh tonnes of edible oil, out of which the share of palm oil was around 56%. Hindustan Times
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Fitch Publishes Exposure Draft on Sector Navigators - Palm Oil
Fitch Ratings-London-13 June 2022: Fitch Ratings is introducing a new Sector Navigator, Palm Oil, as part of the Addendum to its Corporate Rating Criteria as there is currently no existing Navigator to depict the key sector-specific ratings considerations that we have been conveying through our rating commentaries and other publications. Fitch does not expect any rating changes as a result of the new Navigator.
Fitch invites feedback on the proposed Criteria from market participants. Comments should be sent to [email protected] by 13 July 2022. Fitch will publish on its website any written responses it receives in full, including the names and addresses of such respondents, unless the response is clearly marked as confidential by the respondent. Fitch Ratings
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Swedish food producers switch sunflower oil for palm oil
- Food producers here are switching back to using palm oil or rape seed oil in their products due to a shortage of sunflower oil brought on by the war in Ukraine, according to the Swedish Food Federation.
- Palm oil has been criticised, amongst other things for the way it is produced, but as food producers go back to using the oil, they are still temporarily using labels that do not include palm oil in the list of ingredients.
- The food manufacturers swapping the ingredients in their products do not have to change packaging that has already been printed. Sveriges Radio
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Malaysia firms turn down orders as migrant labor shortage hits
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian companies from palm oil plantations to semiconductor makers are refusing orders and forgoing billions in sales, hampered by a shortage of more than a million workers that threatens the country’s economic recovery.
Despite lifting a COVID-19 freeze on recruiting foreign workers in February, Malaysia has not seen a significant return of migrant workers due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections, say industry groups, companies and diplomats.
The export-reliant Southeast Asian nation, a key link in the global supply chain, relies on millions of foreigners for factory, plantation and service sector jobs shunned by locals as dirty, dangerous and difficult.
Manufacturers, who make up nearly one-fourth of the economy, fear losing customers to other countries as growth picks up. Financial Post
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Indonesia - Empowering smallholders
The overall audit that Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan ordered last week for the whole upstream and downstream palm oil industry should pay special attention to the position of the estimated 2.7 million palm oil smallholders vis-à-vis big palm oil businesses.
One of the major issues is that the smallholders, who account for about 35 percent of the country’s palm oil production, do not have any bargaining position at all against big companies which control all palm oil mills and which are the only buyers of smallholders’ fresh fruit bunches (FFB).
When the government slapped a total export ban on palm oil products on April 28 through an erratic and emotionally charged policy, the prices of smallholders’ FFB fell by almost 40 percent to Rp 2,000 (US$0.13) per kilogram even though the international prices of crude palm oil remained at their historical high of over US$1,600/ton. The Jakarta Post
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Indonesia - Optimism in Indonesia as youth prospects improve amid economic recovery
The country’s youth accounted for almost half of the 8.4 million people unemployed, the total number out of work in the country at the end of March after a fall of 0.35 million in the first three months of the year.
Unemployment in Indonesia – which has more than 270 million people – is particularly high among the 15-24 age group, according to Devanto Shasta Pratomo, a professor in labour economics at Brawijaya University. South China Morning Post
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KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian companies from palm oil plantations to semiconductor makers are refusing orders and forgoing billions in sales, hampered by a shortage of more than a million workers that threatens the country’s economic recovery.
Despite lifting a COVID-19 freeze on recruiting foreign workers in February, Malaysia has not seen a significant return of migrant workers due to slow government approvals and protracted negotiations with Indonesia and Bangladesh over worker protections, say industry groups, companies and diplomats.
The export-reliant Southeast Asian nation, a key link in the global supply chain, relies on millions of foreigners for factory, plantation and service sector jobs shunned by locals as dirty, dangerous and difficult.
Manufacturers, who make up nearly one-fourth of the economy, fear losing customers to other countries as growth picks up. Financial Post
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Indonesia - Empowering smallholders
The overall audit that Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan ordered last week for the whole upstream and downstream palm oil industry should pay special attention to the position of the estimated 2.7 million palm oil smallholders vis-à-vis big palm oil businesses.
One of the major issues is that the smallholders, who account for about 35 percent of the country’s palm oil production, do not have any bargaining position at all against big companies which control all palm oil mills and which are the only buyers of smallholders’ fresh fruit bunches (FFB).
When the government slapped a total export ban on palm oil products on April 28 through an erratic and emotionally charged policy, the prices of smallholders’ FFB fell by almost 40 percent to Rp 2,000 (US$0.13) per kilogram even though the international prices of crude palm oil remained at their historical high of over US$1,600/ton. The Jakarta Post
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Indonesia - Optimism in Indonesia as youth prospects improve amid economic recovery
- ‘Half my friends have full-time work, which makes me optimistic’; youth make up about 42 per cent of the 8.4 million people out of work
- Experts say nation ‘on track to recovery’ post Covid and doing better than other countries, with controlled inflation and subsidies to poorest citizens
The country’s youth accounted for almost half of the 8.4 million people unemployed, the total number out of work in the country at the end of March after a fall of 0.35 million in the first three months of the year.
Unemployment in Indonesia – which has more than 270 million people – is particularly high among the 15-24 age group, according to Devanto Shasta Pratomo, a professor in labour economics at Brawijaya University. South China Morning Post
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Proposed EU legislation feared to pose threat to biodiversity
Critics warn the proposed law justifies environmental destruction by putting a price on natural resources and claiming substitutability.
London, United Kingdom – The European Union’s forthcoming environmental legislation is threatening to transfer environmental regulations to financial markets, critics warn.
The proposal is framed as protecting the EU’s biodiversity with legally binding nature restoration targets.
As the EU’s entire biodiversity strategy is based on a net gain principle – offsetting – critics of the proposal say it is a thinly veiled attempt to bolster the biodiversity offsetting the EU has been trying to push for the past decade.
“They’re transferring environmental regulations to market-based solutions,” said Frederic Hache, co-founder of Green Finance Observatory, an NGO examining sustainable finance at the heart of Brussels.
The biodiversity offset market uses the same principles as its better-known carbon credit market cousin to justify environmental destruction by putting a price on natural resources and claiming substitutability – one ecosystem of the same financial value can be substituted for another. Al Jazeera
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Malaysia - MPIC offers 2 incentives to palm oil sector
THE Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (MPIC) is offering two incentives to the palm oil sector to ensure the sustainability of smallholders’ income sources.
These incentives are called the Oil Palm Integrated Farming Scheme (ITa) and the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Schemes.
Under ITa, oil palm planters who plant pineapples are eligible for incentives of RM7,000 per ha, while those who grow bananas, watermelon, corn and papayas receive RM3,000 per ha.
Meanwhile, the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Scheme offers loans of RM2,500 per ha up to RM16,250 with a repayment period of 24 months at a 2% interest rate. This scheme will be open to all smallholders who own 6.5ha of oil palm plantations or less.
MPIC Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said these incentives aim to encourage farmers to diversify their sources of income through cash crops and optimise the use of their land. The Malaysian Reserve
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Commentary: Malaysia has one competitive edge left if it wants to capitalise on global palm oil shortage
Malaysia’s relative lack of available land and manpower means that the country simply cannot compete with the volume of Indonesia’s palm oil production. But it still has one competitive edge left – sustainability, says this researcher.
SINGAPORE: With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine constricting the global supply of edible oils, demand for palm oil has spiked. But as the war continues, supply remains uncertain. Indonesia’s export ban on crude palm oil, palm kernel oil and cooking oils added further strain.
Indonesia’s export ban was initiated in April to bring down persistently high domestic prices that have been on an upward trajectory since mid-November 2021. Although Indonesia lifted the export ban on May 23, exporters and traders are awaiting clarity from the government concerning exporting rules.
Malaysia aims to take advantage of the global edible oil shortage and regain its market share of palm oil. It is considering lowering its 8 per cent export tax on palm oil to boost exports. Channel News Asia
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Indonesia raises palm oil export tax but still aims to increase shipments
JAKARTA, June 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia raised its maximum export tax for crude palm oil by 44% on Friday but reductions in another levy are expected to reduce overall fees to send palm oil products overseas and encourage export shipments.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil exporter, allowed palm shipments to resume from May 23 following a three-week ban aimed at shoring up local supplies of cooking oil and keeping runaway prices in check. But it is making various changes to its exports rules, including reducing the total export tax and levy. Nasdaq
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Indonesia to allow more palm oil exports with extra charges: Minister
Indonesia's government will allow exporters that have not joined its bulk cooking oil distribution programme to ship palm oil by paying a $200 per tonne charge on top of the export tax and levy, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Friday.
The move is part of the government's palm oil export acceleration programme, Luhut said.
The government would also allow companies to export five times the amount of palm oil they have sold domestically during a "transition period" after the export ban, up from the previous three times ratio. Economic Times
-----
India - Reduce import duty on soya, sunflower oils to zero till Sept, urges SEA
It will have immediate impact to achieve the desired objective of reducing prices
The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has expressed concern over the implementation of the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for the imports of soyabean oil and sunflower oil.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution and Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, President of SEA Atul Chaturvedi urged the Government to reduce the import duty on soya and sunflower oil to zero for the time being till September instead of issuing TRQ. This will have a salutary effect on domestic edible oil prices. The Hindu Business Line
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Malaysia - Palm oil production is not a threat to wildlife, says conservation foundation
THE Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) has reiterated its commitment to support green conservation initiatives in the palm production industry.
Its GM Zamakhshari Muhamad (picture) said he strongly rejects allegations that the oil palm industry’s operations are environmentally damaging.
“Some of them are associating oil palm plantations with deforestation and a threat to wildlife populations especially the orangutans and Bornean elephants in Sabah.
“Much of the information disseminated was inaccurate and flat out exaggerated,” he said during a high-tea session with the media yesterday.
He added that MPOGCF, through its role, is dedicated to ensure biodiversity and wildlife conservation efforts can be given priority and is more focused to ensure that the Malaysian palm oil industry remains sustainable. The Malaysian Reserve
-----
Malaysia - Govt offers oil palm smallholders incentives to diversify crops
KUALA LUMPUR: The plantation industries and commodities ministry (MPIC) is calling on eligible oil palm smallholders nationwide to apply for incentives offered under the ministry, via the Oil Palm Integrated Farming Scheme (ITa) and the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Scheme.
Its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said under ITa, oil palm planters who plant pineapples are eligible for incentives of RM7,000 per hectare, while those who grow bananas, watermelon, corn, and papayas receive RM3,000 per hectare.
“This incentive aims to encourage plantation owners to diversify their sources of income through cash crops and optimise the use of their land,” she said in a statement.
This is in line with the government’s policy on expanding oil palm cultivation areas, with a planting limit of not more than 6.5 million hectares. Bernama
-----
Malaysia - My Say: Breaking down silos in the palm oil industry
Last week, news that Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), had resigned sent shock waves through the palm oil industry. Since the 14th general election in 2018, we have had three ministers — Teresa Kok Suh Sim, under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin; and Zuraida, under Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
As the country rides the most perfect storm in the palm oil industry, discontinuity and anxiety are certainly not welcome.
Science and engineering head start
On May 16, I delivered a webinar for the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group titled “The Sustainability of Science and Engineering in the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry”, where I shared how we have squandered the head start our technologists have given us in the palm oil industry due to the inability of its stakeholders to work well together. The Edge Market
-----
Malaysia - Be careful of China’s interest in Sabah’s palm oil industry, warns Amanah man
PETALING JAYA: Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub has called for the government to be cautious in its approach to China’s interest in Sabah’s palm oil industry.
In a statement, Salahuddin said Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visited Sabah on June 4 and expressed his country’s interest in exploring the state’s palm oil industry to deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan.
“While in general, we should encourage the entry of foreign investors into our country, China’s intention to invest in the palm oil industry should be viewed from several perspectives.”
Salahuddin explained that from 2011 to 2020, Chinese companies had purchased and leased nearly seven million hectares of agricultural and mining land in foreign countries. Free Malaysia Today
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Malaysia - Sarawak to work closely with South Korea in energy development
KUCHING, June 9 — The state government is turning its attention towards developing a robust production of alternative aviation fuels such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which could be the key to sustainable air travel and to decarbonise the aviation industry, Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today.
He said using sustainable aviation fuels would result in the reduction of carbon emissions compared to traditional jet fuels. “We want to be sure that we are developing this fuel to not only take into account greenhouse gas reductions, but the amount of water usage and appropriate land use that goes into making these fuels,” he said in his keynote address at the Sarawak-Korea Energy Forum here.
He said as a step forward, Sarawak through Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is collaborating with Airbus and Rolls Royce, through Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) to undertake research and development on green hydrogen and fuel cells as future aviation fuel in Demak Laut Industrial Estate here. The Borneo Post
-----
Tanzanian president orders to set aside land for sunflower cultivation
DAR ES SALAAM, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday ordered authorities in the northwestern region of Kagera to set aside between 70,000 and 100,000 hectares of land for massive cultivation of sunflower and palm oil to end the shortage of edible oil facing the country.
President Hassan made the order when she addressed workers of Kagera sugar factory in Misenyi district in Kagera region.
"Tanzania has been depending on imported edible oil and the country experienced an acute shortage of the commodity during the COVID-19 pandemic when countries producing edible oil closed its borders," she said.
The president said in order to end the shortage of edible oil in the country, there must be plans to engage in massive cultivation of sunflower and palm oil. China
Critics warn the proposed law justifies environmental destruction by putting a price on natural resources and claiming substitutability.
London, United Kingdom – The European Union’s forthcoming environmental legislation is threatening to transfer environmental regulations to financial markets, critics warn.
The proposal is framed as protecting the EU’s biodiversity with legally binding nature restoration targets.
As the EU’s entire biodiversity strategy is based on a net gain principle – offsetting – critics of the proposal say it is a thinly veiled attempt to bolster the biodiversity offsetting the EU has been trying to push for the past decade.
“They’re transferring environmental regulations to market-based solutions,” said Frederic Hache, co-founder of Green Finance Observatory, an NGO examining sustainable finance at the heart of Brussels.
The biodiversity offset market uses the same principles as its better-known carbon credit market cousin to justify environmental destruction by putting a price on natural resources and claiming substitutability – one ecosystem of the same financial value can be substituted for another. Al Jazeera
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Malaysia - MPIC offers 2 incentives to palm oil sector
THE Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (MPIC) is offering two incentives to the palm oil sector to ensure the sustainability of smallholders’ income sources.
These incentives are called the Oil Palm Integrated Farming Scheme (ITa) and the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Schemes.
Under ITa, oil palm planters who plant pineapples are eligible for incentives of RM7,000 per ha, while those who grow bananas, watermelon, corn and papayas receive RM3,000 per ha.
Meanwhile, the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Scheme offers loans of RM2,500 per ha up to RM16,250 with a repayment period of 24 months at a 2% interest rate. This scheme will be open to all smallholders who own 6.5ha of oil palm plantations or less.
MPIC Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said these incentives aim to encourage farmers to diversify their sources of income through cash crops and optimise the use of their land. The Malaysian Reserve
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Commentary: Malaysia has one competitive edge left if it wants to capitalise on global palm oil shortage
Malaysia’s relative lack of available land and manpower means that the country simply cannot compete with the volume of Indonesia’s palm oil production. But it still has one competitive edge left – sustainability, says this researcher.
SINGAPORE: With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine constricting the global supply of edible oils, demand for palm oil has spiked. But as the war continues, supply remains uncertain. Indonesia’s export ban on crude palm oil, palm kernel oil and cooking oils added further strain.
Indonesia’s export ban was initiated in April to bring down persistently high domestic prices that have been on an upward trajectory since mid-November 2021. Although Indonesia lifted the export ban on May 23, exporters and traders are awaiting clarity from the government concerning exporting rules.
Malaysia aims to take advantage of the global edible oil shortage and regain its market share of palm oil. It is considering lowering its 8 per cent export tax on palm oil to boost exports. Channel News Asia
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Indonesia raises palm oil export tax but still aims to increase shipments
JAKARTA, June 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia raised its maximum export tax for crude palm oil by 44% on Friday but reductions in another levy are expected to reduce overall fees to send palm oil products overseas and encourage export shipments.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil exporter, allowed palm shipments to resume from May 23 following a three-week ban aimed at shoring up local supplies of cooking oil and keeping runaway prices in check. But it is making various changes to its exports rules, including reducing the total export tax and levy. Nasdaq
-----
Indonesia to allow more palm oil exports with extra charges: Minister
Indonesia's government will allow exporters that have not joined its bulk cooking oil distribution programme to ship palm oil by paying a $200 per tonne charge on top of the export tax and levy, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Friday.
The move is part of the government's palm oil export acceleration programme, Luhut said.
The government would also allow companies to export five times the amount of palm oil they have sold domestically during a "transition period" after the export ban, up from the previous three times ratio. Economic Times
-----
India - Reduce import duty on soya, sunflower oils to zero till Sept, urges SEA
It will have immediate impact to achieve the desired objective of reducing prices
The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has expressed concern over the implementation of the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for the imports of soyabean oil and sunflower oil.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution and Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, President of SEA Atul Chaturvedi urged the Government to reduce the import duty on soya and sunflower oil to zero for the time being till September instead of issuing TRQ. This will have a salutary effect on domestic edible oil prices. The Hindu Business Line
-----
Malaysia - Palm oil production is not a threat to wildlife, says conservation foundation
THE Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) has reiterated its commitment to support green conservation initiatives in the palm production industry.
Its GM Zamakhshari Muhamad (picture) said he strongly rejects allegations that the oil palm industry’s operations are environmentally damaging.
“Some of them are associating oil palm plantations with deforestation and a threat to wildlife populations especially the orangutans and Bornean elephants in Sabah.
“Much of the information disseminated was inaccurate and flat out exaggerated,” he said during a high-tea session with the media yesterday.
He added that MPOGCF, through its role, is dedicated to ensure biodiversity and wildlife conservation efforts can be given priority and is more focused to ensure that the Malaysian palm oil industry remains sustainable. The Malaysian Reserve
-----
Malaysia - Govt offers oil palm smallholders incentives to diversify crops
KUALA LUMPUR: The plantation industries and commodities ministry (MPIC) is calling on eligible oil palm smallholders nationwide to apply for incentives offered under the ministry, via the Oil Palm Integrated Farming Scheme (ITa) and the Agro Bank-MPOB Easy Financing Scheme.
Its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said under ITa, oil palm planters who plant pineapples are eligible for incentives of RM7,000 per hectare, while those who grow bananas, watermelon, corn, and papayas receive RM3,000 per hectare.
“This incentive aims to encourage plantation owners to diversify their sources of income through cash crops and optimise the use of their land,” she said in a statement.
This is in line with the government’s policy on expanding oil palm cultivation areas, with a planting limit of not more than 6.5 million hectares. Bernama
-----
Malaysia - My Say: Breaking down silos in the palm oil industry
Last week, news that Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), had resigned sent shock waves through the palm oil industry. Since the 14th general election in 2018, we have had three ministers — Teresa Kok Suh Sim, under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin; and Zuraida, under Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
As the country rides the most perfect storm in the palm oil industry, discontinuity and anxiety are certainly not welcome.
Science and engineering head start
On May 16, I delivered a webinar for the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group titled “The Sustainability of Science and Engineering in the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry”, where I shared how we have squandered the head start our technologists have given us in the palm oil industry due to the inability of its stakeholders to work well together. The Edge Market
-----
Malaysia - Be careful of China’s interest in Sabah’s palm oil industry, warns Amanah man
PETALING JAYA: Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub has called for the government to be cautious in its approach to China’s interest in Sabah’s palm oil industry.
In a statement, Salahuddin said Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visited Sabah on June 4 and expressed his country’s interest in exploring the state’s palm oil industry to deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan.
“While in general, we should encourage the entry of foreign investors into our country, China’s intention to invest in the palm oil industry should be viewed from several perspectives.”
Salahuddin explained that from 2011 to 2020, Chinese companies had purchased and leased nearly seven million hectares of agricultural and mining land in foreign countries. Free Malaysia Today
-----
Malaysia - Sarawak to work closely with South Korea in energy development
KUCHING, June 9 — The state government is turning its attention towards developing a robust production of alternative aviation fuels such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which could be the key to sustainable air travel and to decarbonise the aviation industry, Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today.
He said using sustainable aviation fuels would result in the reduction of carbon emissions compared to traditional jet fuels. “We want to be sure that we are developing this fuel to not only take into account greenhouse gas reductions, but the amount of water usage and appropriate land use that goes into making these fuels,” he said in his keynote address at the Sarawak-Korea Energy Forum here.
He said as a step forward, Sarawak through Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is collaborating with Airbus and Rolls Royce, through Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) to undertake research and development on green hydrogen and fuel cells as future aviation fuel in Demak Laut Industrial Estate here. The Borneo Post
-----
Tanzanian president orders to set aside land for sunflower cultivation
DAR ES SALAAM, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday ordered authorities in the northwestern region of Kagera to set aside between 70,000 and 100,000 hectares of land for massive cultivation of sunflower and palm oil to end the shortage of edible oil facing the country.
President Hassan made the order when she addressed workers of Kagera sugar factory in Misenyi district in Kagera region.
"Tanzania has been depending on imported edible oil and the country experienced an acute shortage of the commodity during the COVID-19 pandemic when countries producing edible oil closed its borders," she said.
The president said in order to end the shortage of edible oil in the country, there must be plans to engage in massive cultivation of sunflower and palm oil. China
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EU - Risk of delay to carbon market reforms after surprise EU vote
A committee of lawmakers must now try to forge a new compromise after chaotic scenes and a blame game erupted in Parliament.
Green and Socialist lawmakers rejected the proposal because of conservative groups' amendments they said weakened it too much, while right-wing groups considered it too ambitious, especially in the light of inflationary pressures. Reuters
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Indonesia launches scheme to speed up palm oil exports
JAKARTA (June 9): Indonesia has launched an export acceleration scheme aimed at shipping at least 1 million tonnes of crude palm oil and derivatives following a recent export ban, according to a trade ministry regulation made public on Thursday.
The regulation is effective immediately and the acceleration scheme applies until July 31.
If a larger shipment quota is required, the quota can exceed the 1 million limit, said the regulation, which was signed on June 7.
Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, allowed exports to resume from May 23 following a three-week ban aimed at shoring up local supplies of cooking oil and keeping runaway prices in check.
Shipments have been slow to restart, however, as exporters faced hurdles with new requirements designed to ensure domestic supply. The Edge Markets
-----
Indonesia - Gov't supports conducive industrial relations in palm oil sector
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower has readied three steps to realize conducive, harmonious, and equal industrial relations in the palm oil plantation sector in order to equalize perceptions and interpretations of work relations and workers' protection.
Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah emphasized the need to take these various steps since the palm oil plantation sector had characteristics that were different from other sectors, such as seasonal workers and absorbing a large number of workers, with low levels of skills and education.
"The palm oil sector is one of the industrial sectors that plays an important role in the Indonesian economy. However, recently, the declining performance of palm oil exports and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have raised the worst possibilities for workers in the palm oil sector," the minister noted in a press statement received here, Wednesday. Antara News
-----
Brazil Mulls Using More Biodiesel to Avoid Fuel Shortage
Brazil’s government is mulling an increase later this year in the amount of biodiesel blended into trucking fuel to avoid shortages.
Bloomberg) — Brazil’s government is mulling an increase later this year in the amount of biodiesel blended into trucking fuel to avoid shortages.
Latin America’s largest economy may boost the biodiesel blend to 15% from 10% if stockpiles of diesel remain at low levels during the second half of the year, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, who asked to not be named because the discussion isn’t public. The increase would be in place for a limited time, one of the people said. Financial Post
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EU committee votes to limit crop-based biofuels to no more than half the share of total biofuel use in transport and to phase out palm and soya-based biofuels by 2023
The European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) has voted to limit crop-based biofuels to no more than half the share of total biofuel use in transport and to phase out palm and soya-based biofuels by 2023, EU Bioenergy reported.
The committee also voted for an amendment recommending that primary woody biomass should no longer be subsidised and should largely be excluded from counting towards renewable energy targets, the report said.
Part of its revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), the committee made the announcements on 16 May.
The EU Parliament’s ITRE (energy) committee will also propose its own amendments to the RED this month, according to the 18 May report. OFIMagazine
- EU lawmakers reject proposal to upgrade carbon market
- Risks delay to upgrade of EU's core climate policy
- Split over whether to boost or weaken other measures
- War, inflation loom over climate vote outcomes
A committee of lawmakers must now try to forge a new compromise after chaotic scenes and a blame game erupted in Parliament.
Green and Socialist lawmakers rejected the proposal because of conservative groups' amendments they said weakened it too much, while right-wing groups considered it too ambitious, especially in the light of inflationary pressures. Reuters
-----
Indonesia launches scheme to speed up palm oil exports
JAKARTA (June 9): Indonesia has launched an export acceleration scheme aimed at shipping at least 1 million tonnes of crude palm oil and derivatives following a recent export ban, according to a trade ministry regulation made public on Thursday.
The regulation is effective immediately and the acceleration scheme applies until July 31.
If a larger shipment quota is required, the quota can exceed the 1 million limit, said the regulation, which was signed on June 7.
Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, allowed exports to resume from May 23 following a three-week ban aimed at shoring up local supplies of cooking oil and keeping runaway prices in check.
Shipments have been slow to restart, however, as exporters faced hurdles with new requirements designed to ensure domestic supply. The Edge Markets
-----
Indonesia - Gov't supports conducive industrial relations in palm oil sector
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower has readied three steps to realize conducive, harmonious, and equal industrial relations in the palm oil plantation sector in order to equalize perceptions and interpretations of work relations and workers' protection.
Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah emphasized the need to take these various steps since the palm oil plantation sector had characteristics that were different from other sectors, such as seasonal workers and absorbing a large number of workers, with low levels of skills and education.
"The palm oil sector is one of the industrial sectors that plays an important role in the Indonesian economy. However, recently, the declining performance of palm oil exports and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have raised the worst possibilities for workers in the palm oil sector," the minister noted in a press statement received here, Wednesday. Antara News
-----
Brazil Mulls Using More Biodiesel to Avoid Fuel Shortage
Brazil’s government is mulling an increase later this year in the amount of biodiesel blended into trucking fuel to avoid shortages.
Bloomberg) — Brazil’s government is mulling an increase later this year in the amount of biodiesel blended into trucking fuel to avoid shortages.
Latin America’s largest economy may boost the biodiesel blend to 15% from 10% if stockpiles of diesel remain at low levels during the second half of the year, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, who asked to not be named because the discussion isn’t public. The increase would be in place for a limited time, one of the people said. Financial Post
-----
EU committee votes to limit crop-based biofuels to no more than half the share of total biofuel use in transport and to phase out palm and soya-based biofuels by 2023
The European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) has voted to limit crop-based biofuels to no more than half the share of total biofuel use in transport and to phase out palm and soya-based biofuels by 2023, EU Bioenergy reported.
The committee also voted for an amendment recommending that primary woody biomass should no longer be subsidised and should largely be excluded from counting towards renewable energy targets, the report said.
Part of its revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), the committee made the announcements on 16 May.
The EU Parliament’s ITRE (energy) committee will also propose its own amendments to the RED this month, according to the 18 May report. OFIMagazine
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Minister urges Malaysian firms to learn triggers for US forced labour probes
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Malaysian producers should take note of the US Customs and Border Protection's announced methods for its forced labour investigations to avoid being subject to further sanctions, said the plantation industries and commodities minister
While Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said her ministry viewed the manner of US agency’s investigations to be “unfair and also biased”, she acknowledged it was the CBP’s prerogative to rely on remote or third-party information.
The minister urged the Malaysian firms to be mindful of this following the CBP’s clarification and to avoid attracting another Withhold Release Orders (WROs or import bans), six of which have been levied over forced labour allegations in recent months.
"The modus operandi of the CBP and how their verdict is passed has been made clear, the onus is on industry players — especially those in the labour-intensive rubber gloves and plantation sectors," she said in the statement. Malay Mail
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Malaysia - Onus on Malaysian companies to play by US rules, says Zuraida
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian companies have been told to take note of a US border agency’s method of operations to avoid potential import bans in the future stemming over forced labour issues.
Plantation industries and commodities minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said this was following reports that US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) investigation methods derived information from third-party sources.
She said while Malaysia was not agreeable with CBP’s ways of relying on remote or third-party evidence in its probe of forced labour indicators, it was the agency’s prerogative to act based on what it deemed to be proprietary information.
“Nevertheless, CBP, in detailing the route and subsequent actions taken against companies, has reiterated that its investigations were done through reasonable information, analysis, investigations and assumptions. Free Malaysia Today
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Indonesia - Jokowi Sued for Failing to Solve Cooking Oil Issues
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - NGO Sawit Watch along with a number of civil society organizations filed a public lawsuit against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi on Thursday, June 2, 2022, for failing to address the scarcity and high price of cooking oil.
The advocacy team did not deny the fact that the government made efforts to address the issues as claimed by the presidential special staff member for legal affairs, Dini Purwono, in response to the lawsuit.
“However, the government tends to change policies and in fact, these efforts fail to address the problem of price affordability at the consumer level,” said Advocacy Manager of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) Muhammad Busyrol Fuad on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
Fuad cited an example; the revocation of the Trade Ministerial Regulation No. 6 of 2022 concerning the highest retail price (HET) for cooking oil through the Trade Ministerial Regulation No. 11 of 2022. The policy revocation, he recalled, was sufficient to answer issues on the availability of the basic commodity. Tempo
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Indonesia - Audit on Palm Oil Companies Will Begin: Luhut
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that the government’s agenda to audit palm oil companies operating in the country has officially begun as he has signed the letter.
“Audit on [palm oil] companies will begin. I signed [the letter] today. The BPKP (Development Finance Comptroller) will observe it later,” said Luhut today, June 7, in Karawang.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered Luhut to resolve the cooking oil fiasco, especially in the Java and Bali regions. The latter thus coordinated with the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Trade Ministry, the Industry Ministry, and other related institutions.
The audit is aimed at inspecting the governance of the cooking oil industry from upstream to downstream following the soaring price of the commodity in the domestic market. Tempo
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India - Ban on palm oil import through Kerala ports bleeds consumers
Not benefitting coconut farmers too.
The ban on import of palm oil through Kerala ports, introduced to lift the sagging fortunes of coconut growers, it seems, could not do anything to raise the market potential of coconut oil as imported palm oil through neighbouring ports reach Kerala by road costing an extra ₹3 per/kg for an average customer.
The retail prices of coconut oil and palm oil are almost equal now in the State. Further, consumers have to pay an additional charge for palm oil as it is unloaded in ports in the neighbouring States and brought to refineries in Kerala by road. The Hindu
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India - Palm oil imports surge to seven-month high in May despite Indonesia's ban
Even with Indonesia’s temporary curb on exports of its highly sought-after palm oil, the country’s import of the commodity was at a seven-month high in May.
Palm oil exports in May were their highest in seven months and up 15% in April as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, according to five industry officials.
Higher purchases by India, the world's biggest importer of vegetable oil, could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which are trading near a record high. The Hindu
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India - Indonesia’s move to cut taxes on palm oil may benefit consumers
Jakarta will likely ship over 2 million tonnes; prices seen heading lower
Edible oil consumers can heave a sigh of relief as there are visible signs of palm oil prices easing. This, in turn, could drag prices of other oils such as soyabean, rapeseed and sunflower, according to industry experts. The Hindu Business Line
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Cameroon - Palm oil production expected to grow steadily to 450,000 tons by 2024
Palm oil production in Cameroon is expected to reach 400,000 tons this year, according to the Bank of Central African States (Beac).
In its latest Composite Index of Commodity Prices (ICCPB) report, the institution forecasted that the upward trend will continue with volumes reaching 425,000 and more than 450,000 tons in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Overall, between 2021 and 2024, the production of palm oil in the country is expected to grow by less than 80,000 tons, while the structural deficit has reached 150,000 tons since 2021.
As a result, despite the announced upturn in production over the next three years, Cameroon will continue to import palm oil to guarantee the supply of processing units. Business in Cameroon
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Malaysian producers should take note of the US Customs and Border Protection's announced methods for its forced labour investigations to avoid being subject to further sanctions, said the plantation industries and commodities minister
While Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said her ministry viewed the manner of US agency’s investigations to be “unfair and also biased”, she acknowledged it was the CBP’s prerogative to rely on remote or third-party information.
The minister urged the Malaysian firms to be mindful of this following the CBP’s clarification and to avoid attracting another Withhold Release Orders (WROs or import bans), six of which have been levied over forced labour allegations in recent months.
"The modus operandi of the CBP and how their verdict is passed has been made clear, the onus is on industry players — especially those in the labour-intensive rubber gloves and plantation sectors," she said in the statement. Malay Mail
-----
Malaysia - Onus on Malaysian companies to play by US rules, says Zuraida
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian companies have been told to take note of a US border agency’s method of operations to avoid potential import bans in the future stemming over forced labour issues.
Plantation industries and commodities minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said this was following reports that US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) investigation methods derived information from third-party sources.
She said while Malaysia was not agreeable with CBP’s ways of relying on remote or third-party evidence in its probe of forced labour indicators, it was the agency’s prerogative to act based on what it deemed to be proprietary information.
“Nevertheless, CBP, in detailing the route and subsequent actions taken against companies, has reiterated that its investigations were done through reasonable information, analysis, investigations and assumptions. Free Malaysia Today
-----
Indonesia - Jokowi Sued for Failing to Solve Cooking Oil Issues
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - NGO Sawit Watch along with a number of civil society organizations filed a public lawsuit against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi on Thursday, June 2, 2022, for failing to address the scarcity and high price of cooking oil.
The advocacy team did not deny the fact that the government made efforts to address the issues as claimed by the presidential special staff member for legal affairs, Dini Purwono, in response to the lawsuit.
“However, the government tends to change policies and in fact, these efforts fail to address the problem of price affordability at the consumer level,” said Advocacy Manager of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) Muhammad Busyrol Fuad on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
Fuad cited an example; the revocation of the Trade Ministerial Regulation No. 6 of 2022 concerning the highest retail price (HET) for cooking oil through the Trade Ministerial Regulation No. 11 of 2022. The policy revocation, he recalled, was sufficient to answer issues on the availability of the basic commodity. Tempo
-----
Indonesia - Audit on Palm Oil Companies Will Begin: Luhut
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that the government’s agenda to audit palm oil companies operating in the country has officially begun as he has signed the letter.
“Audit on [palm oil] companies will begin. I signed [the letter] today. The BPKP (Development Finance Comptroller) will observe it later,” said Luhut today, June 7, in Karawang.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered Luhut to resolve the cooking oil fiasco, especially in the Java and Bali regions. The latter thus coordinated with the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Trade Ministry, the Industry Ministry, and other related institutions.
The audit is aimed at inspecting the governance of the cooking oil industry from upstream to downstream following the soaring price of the commodity in the domestic market. Tempo
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India - Ban on palm oil import through Kerala ports bleeds consumers
Not benefitting coconut farmers too.
The ban on import of palm oil through Kerala ports, introduced to lift the sagging fortunes of coconut growers, it seems, could not do anything to raise the market potential of coconut oil as imported palm oil through neighbouring ports reach Kerala by road costing an extra ₹3 per/kg for an average customer.
The retail prices of coconut oil and palm oil are almost equal now in the State. Further, consumers have to pay an additional charge for palm oil as it is unloaded in ports in the neighbouring States and brought to refineries in Kerala by road. The Hindu
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India - Palm oil imports surge to seven-month high in May despite Indonesia's ban
Even with Indonesia’s temporary curb on exports of its highly sought-after palm oil, the country’s import of the commodity was at a seven-month high in May.
Palm oil exports in May were their highest in seven months and up 15% in April as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, according to five industry officials.
Higher purchases by India, the world's biggest importer of vegetable oil, could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which are trading near a record high. The Hindu
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India - Indonesia’s move to cut taxes on palm oil may benefit consumers
Jakarta will likely ship over 2 million tonnes; prices seen heading lower
Edible oil consumers can heave a sigh of relief as there are visible signs of palm oil prices easing. This, in turn, could drag prices of other oils such as soyabean, rapeseed and sunflower, according to industry experts. The Hindu Business Line
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Cameroon - Palm oil production expected to grow steadily to 450,000 tons by 2024
Palm oil production in Cameroon is expected to reach 400,000 tons this year, according to the Bank of Central African States (Beac).
In its latest Composite Index of Commodity Prices (ICCPB) report, the institution forecasted that the upward trend will continue with volumes reaching 425,000 and more than 450,000 tons in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Overall, between 2021 and 2024, the production of palm oil in the country is expected to grow by less than 80,000 tons, while the structural deficit has reached 150,000 tons since 2021.
As a result, despite the announced upturn in production over the next three years, Cameroon will continue to import palm oil to guarantee the supply of processing units. Business in Cameroon
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Indonesia - Indonesia to lower palm oil export tax and levy
JAKARTA, June 7 (Reuters) - Indonesia Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi said on Tuesday the government would bring down its combined maximum crude palm oil export and levy rate to $488 per tonne from $575 per tonne to encourage shipments.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer, has allowed palm oil exports to resume after a three-week ban, but progress has been slow due to red tape, keeping palm mills' storage tanks full.
Farmers have complained that prices of palm fruits remain low because mills are still limiting their purchases.
The government would raise the maximum tax to $288 per tonne, but lower maximum levy to $200 per tonne, Lutfi said. Indonesia currently charges a maximum $200 per tonne for export tax and a maximum $375 per tonne for levy. Nasdaq
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Indonesia - Govt Suspects Monopoly in West Javan Cooking Oil Distribution
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In a press conference on Sunday, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Pandjaitan suspects a cooking oil distributor is responsible for a monopoly of the commodity’s supplies in the West Javan market, one of the most populated regions in the Java Island.
He believes this is proven by the relatively high prices of cooking oil despite sufficient supplies in the province to meet public demand.
“[Cooking oil] distribution is enough but prices in the market are still relatively high. After we mobilized a team to the field, we uncovered indications of market monopoly,” said the Minister who the President appointed to specifically handle the issue.
Despite sufficient distribution in the region, he claims the region’s second distributor is owned by a single individual, a situation he argues is vulnerable to price manipulation. Luhut revealed that the government had gradually started to crack down on the distributor. Tempo
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Malaysia - Boustead Plantations signs green financing deal with CCBM
BOUSTEAD Plantations Bhd (BPB) today has entered into a RM45 million green financing agreement with China Construction Bank (M) Bhd (CCBM) to facilitate its sustainable replanting exercise.
BPB seeks to leverage the financing to maximise its ongoing accelerated sustainable replanting programme, particularly for its plantation assets in Sabah, from this year until 2024.
The financing agreement was signed by BPB director Ahmad Shahredzuan Mohd Shariff and its company secretary Affendi Mohd Yob, while CCBM was represented by its executive VP Wang Shaoqiang in a ceremony held at Royale Chulan Damansara. The Malaysian Reserve
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Cameroon- Cemac: Palm Oil Boosts Prices Of Agricultural Exports In 2022
According to the Composite Commodity Price Index published by the Bank of Central African States , agricultural products exported by the six CEMAC countries Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, CAR and Equatorial Guinea grew by 1.9% between January and March 2022, as was the case in the previous quarter.
This situation regarding fertiliser prices has had a greater impact on the price of palm oil. By product, the strongest increases were observed on the palm oil (+18.4%), cotton (+13.1%) and rubber (+8.5%) markets. On the other hand, a drop was recorded in the price of sugar (4.1%) and tobacco (0.8%),” Beac analysts said.
During 2022, palm oil production in Cameroon will reach 400,000 tonnes, according to forecasts contained in the report on the Composite Index of Commodity Prices for the first quarter of 2022, which has just been published by the Bank of Central African States (Beac), the issuing institution of the six Cemac States (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, CAR and Equatorial Guinea). Journal Du Cameroun
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Nigeria - Presco Seeks Support for Oil Palm Research, Smallholder Farmers
The Managing Director, Presco Plc, Felix Nwabuko, on Monday, appealed to relevant government agencies to support Oil Palm research as part of measures to boost export and economic development. Addressing Major stakeholders at one of Presco’s plantation at Ologbo, Edo State, as part of activities lined up to mark ‘Seed Evidence Day,’ Nwabuko explained that smallholder and outgrower farmers are very critical to the development of the sector. According to Nwabuko, challenges posed by inadequate land for large scale expansion has made collaboration with Small Holders imperative. He commended efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to sustain growth in the sector, adding that “research is the way to go”. Also speaking at the event, Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Stephen Idehenre, said the state government is working in collaboration with Presco and other stakeholders to produce quality seedlings for Nigeria and the international market. This Day Live
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India's May palm oil imports surge to 7-month high despite Indonesia's ban
India's palm oil exports in May were its highest in seven months as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.
India's palm oil exports in May were its highest in seven months and up 15% on April as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, five industry officials said.
Higher purchases by India, the world's biggest importer of vegetable oil, could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which are trading near a record high.
India imported 660,000 tonnes of palm oil in May, up from 572,508 tonnes in April, according to the average estimate from five dealers.
Indian imports from Indonesia fell in May, but refiners managed to buy more from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, said Sandeep Bajoria, chief executive of Sunvin Group, a vegetable oil brokerage and consultancy. Business Standard
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India - Land finalised for palm oil mills to be run by Ruchi Soya and 3F Palm
ITANAGAR, 6 Jun: The two companies that will set up palm oil mills in the state have finalised the land where the industries will be set up.
3Foil Palm Pvt Ltd has already finalised the land for the establishment of a crude palm oil (CPO) mill in Roing (Lower Dibang Valley) after having acquired 50 hectares of land. Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd has also finalised 15 hectares of land at the Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) in Niglok in East Siang district.
Representatives of the RSIL will visit the IGC in Niglok on Tuesday, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed for acquiring the land and subsequently establishing a CPO mill in Niglok, according to a statement from the government. Arunachal Times
JAKARTA, June 7 (Reuters) - Indonesia Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi said on Tuesday the government would bring down its combined maximum crude palm oil export and levy rate to $488 per tonne from $575 per tonne to encourage shipments.
Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer, has allowed palm oil exports to resume after a three-week ban, but progress has been slow due to red tape, keeping palm mills' storage tanks full.
Farmers have complained that prices of palm fruits remain low because mills are still limiting their purchases.
The government would raise the maximum tax to $288 per tonne, but lower maximum levy to $200 per tonne, Lutfi said. Indonesia currently charges a maximum $200 per tonne for export tax and a maximum $375 per tonne for levy. Nasdaq
-----
Indonesia - Govt Suspects Monopoly in West Javan Cooking Oil Distribution
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In a press conference on Sunday, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Pandjaitan suspects a cooking oil distributor is responsible for a monopoly of the commodity’s supplies in the West Javan market, one of the most populated regions in the Java Island.
He believes this is proven by the relatively high prices of cooking oil despite sufficient supplies in the province to meet public demand.
“[Cooking oil] distribution is enough but prices in the market are still relatively high. After we mobilized a team to the field, we uncovered indications of market monopoly,” said the Minister who the President appointed to specifically handle the issue.
Despite sufficient distribution in the region, he claims the region’s second distributor is owned by a single individual, a situation he argues is vulnerable to price manipulation. Luhut revealed that the government had gradually started to crack down on the distributor. Tempo
-----
Malaysia - Boustead Plantations signs green financing deal with CCBM
BOUSTEAD Plantations Bhd (BPB) today has entered into a RM45 million green financing agreement with China Construction Bank (M) Bhd (CCBM) to facilitate its sustainable replanting exercise.
BPB seeks to leverage the financing to maximise its ongoing accelerated sustainable replanting programme, particularly for its plantation assets in Sabah, from this year until 2024.
The financing agreement was signed by BPB director Ahmad Shahredzuan Mohd Shariff and its company secretary Affendi Mohd Yob, while CCBM was represented by its executive VP Wang Shaoqiang in a ceremony held at Royale Chulan Damansara. The Malaysian Reserve
-----
Cameroon- Cemac: Palm Oil Boosts Prices Of Agricultural Exports In 2022
According to the Composite Commodity Price Index published by the Bank of Central African States , agricultural products exported by the six CEMAC countries Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, CAR and Equatorial Guinea grew by 1.9% between January and March 2022, as was the case in the previous quarter.
This situation regarding fertiliser prices has had a greater impact on the price of palm oil. By product, the strongest increases were observed on the palm oil (+18.4%), cotton (+13.1%) and rubber (+8.5%) markets. On the other hand, a drop was recorded in the price of sugar (4.1%) and tobacco (0.8%),” Beac analysts said.
During 2022, palm oil production in Cameroon will reach 400,000 tonnes, according to forecasts contained in the report on the Composite Index of Commodity Prices for the first quarter of 2022, which has just been published by the Bank of Central African States (Beac), the issuing institution of the six Cemac States (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad, CAR and Equatorial Guinea). Journal Du Cameroun
-----
Nigeria - Presco Seeks Support for Oil Palm Research, Smallholder Farmers
The Managing Director, Presco Plc, Felix Nwabuko, on Monday, appealed to relevant government agencies to support Oil Palm research as part of measures to boost export and economic development. Addressing Major stakeholders at one of Presco’s plantation at Ologbo, Edo State, as part of activities lined up to mark ‘Seed Evidence Day,’ Nwabuko explained that smallholder and outgrower farmers are very critical to the development of the sector. According to Nwabuko, challenges posed by inadequate land for large scale expansion has made collaboration with Small Holders imperative. He commended efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to sustain growth in the sector, adding that “research is the way to go”. Also speaking at the event, Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Stephen Idehenre, said the state government is working in collaboration with Presco and other stakeholders to produce quality seedlings for Nigeria and the international market. This Day Live
-----
India's May palm oil imports surge to 7-month high despite Indonesia's ban
India's palm oil exports in May were its highest in seven months as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.
India's palm oil exports in May were its highest in seven months and up 15% on April as the country overcame curbs on Indonesian exports by sourcing more of the commodity from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, five industry officials said.
Higher purchases by India, the world's biggest importer of vegetable oil, could support Malaysian palm oil prices, which are trading near a record high.
India imported 660,000 tonnes of palm oil in May, up from 572,508 tonnes in April, according to the average estimate from five dealers.
Indian imports from Indonesia fell in May, but refiners managed to buy more from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, said Sandeep Bajoria, chief executive of Sunvin Group, a vegetable oil brokerage and consultancy. Business Standard
-----
India - Land finalised for palm oil mills to be run by Ruchi Soya and 3F Palm
ITANAGAR, 6 Jun: The two companies that will set up palm oil mills in the state have finalised the land where the industries will be set up.
3Foil Palm Pvt Ltd has already finalised the land for the establishment of a crude palm oil (CPO) mill in Roing (Lower Dibang Valley) after having acquired 50 hectares of land. Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd has also finalised 15 hectares of land at the Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) in Niglok in East Siang district.
Representatives of the RSIL will visit the IGC in Niglok on Tuesday, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed for acquiring the land and subsequently establishing a CPO mill in Niglok, according to a statement from the government. Arunachal Times
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Indonesia - Dealing with the global food crisis yet another big job for Indonesia’s G20 summit
The costs of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine continue to mount, not only in terms of lives lost and cities and villages reduced to rubble. The war in Europe has loaded big costs on the global economy, especially developing economies already under stress from the COVID-19 crisis, and is shaking the foundations of the global economic and political order on which post-war prosperity and security were built.
Prosecution of the war has meant not only high-powered NATO materiel support for Ukraine but the imposition of comprehensive economic sanctions to target a clear Russian violation of international law. The sanctions, however effective in diminishing the Russian economy and disconnecting it from the world economy, come at the considerable cost of squeezing world energy and food markets and also undermine systemic trust in the international trade regime. Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports piles on additional pressure to world grain supplies. Russian energy exports continue and the high prices are cushioning the massive economic blow to the Russian economy. East Asia Forum
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Indonesia - Government seeks middle ground to solve cooking oil problem: Minister
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government strives to seek a middle ground to reduce the price of cooking oil and increase its supply in Indonesia, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated.
The minister highlighted the government's keenness to restructure the upstream and downstream sector of cooking oil in terms of the production and distribution in order to increase the state revenue and prevent future recurrence of the problem of fluctuating prices and supply of cooking oil.
"In the upstream sector, the government must be able to maintain the welfare of the palm oil farmers. In the downstream sector, the government must ensure that the public can buy cooking oil at a reasonable price," he remarked at an online press conference here on Sunday. Antara News
-----
Indonesia - Govt approves 1 million tons of CPO for export
Two weeks since lifting its ban on palm oil exports, the government has approved shipments of more than 1 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO) and derivative products, expressing hope that the move would lift fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices for smallholder farmers. The export volume was calculated based on the 1:3 ratio for the commodity’s amount required under the domestic market obligation (DMO) and that permitted for exporting under the new People’s Bulk Cooking Oil program. However, only around one-third of the shipments approved for export had left Indonesia by Sunday because producers were facing logistical as well as other issues. The Jakarta Post
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Malaysia - Malaysia palm group warns of losses ahead from 'severe' labour crunch
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (Reuters) - Malaysia is missing a golden opportunity to capitalise on high palm oil prices and could suffer more production losses due to a "severe" shortage of about 120,000 workers, the Malaysian Estate Owners' Association (MEOA) told Reuters on Monday.
The world's second biggest palm oil producer has been struggling to harvest palm fruit due to a labour shortage exacerbated by its pandemic-related immigration restrictions.
Foreign workers, mostly from Indonesia, typically make up about 80% of the workforce in Malaysian estates, which numbered about 437,000 at the start of the pandemic. Reuters
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Malaysian planters see losses in earnings by 5-10% from labour shortages
KUALA LUMPUR (June 6): Malaysian planters see losses in earnings by a further 5-10% this year, exacerbated by the acute labour shortages in the oil palm industry.
In a statement on Monday (June 6), the Malaysian Estate Owners' Association (MEOA) said the two oil palm regions in Malaysia where there are massive shortages of labour are Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, which make up 74% of the total oil palm production area in Malaysia.
It said even if there are fresh fruit bunches (FFB) on the trees, they are not being harvested, or are not harvested within the specified norm of 12 to 15 days round. The Edge Markets
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Malaysia - MEOA expects urgency in issuance of permits to all plantations
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Estate Owners’ Association (MEOA) remains optimistic that work permits will be issued to mid-sized and small plantations with the same urgency and expediency as they are to larger firms.
Amid the labour crunch facing the oil palm industry, it said the association is pleased to hear in the market that a big company had been allocated permit to bring in a limited group of workers from Lombok, Indonesia, even if it was highly publicised that the inaugural intake was aborted. The Sun Daily
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Malaysia - PAPSMA urges government to expedite entry of Bangladeshi workers
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Association of Private Employment Agencies Malaysia (PAPSMA) has called on the government to expedite the entry of Bangladeshi workers into the country without further delays.
Its president Datuk Megat Fairouz Junaidi Megat Junid said many industries, especially plantation agencies, as well as small and medium enterprises (SME) were facing a shortage of workers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The shortage of manpower in Malaysia is considered to have exceeded two million foreign workers in main sectors that are not of interest to the local workforce, such as manufacturing, construction and 3D (dangerous, difficult, dirty) sectors,” he said in a press conference here today.
According to him, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) in a statement in February this year said Malaysia suffers as much as RM1 billion in losses as a result of palm oil fruits not being harvested on time due to the lack of foreign workers who have returned to their respective countries over the past three years. The Sun Daily
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Malaysia Increases Minimum Wage from May 1, 2022: What are the Implications for Businesses?
Malaysia increased the national monthly minimum wage from May 1, 2022, by 25 percent from 1,200 ringgit (US$273) to 1,500 ringgit (US$341). The National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 obligates the government to review the minimum wage every two years. The last time the minimum wage was reviewed and increased was on February 1, 2020.
A long-awaited increase
The wage increase will only apply to businesses in the private sector that have five employees or more.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has said that the government is prepared to give leeway to businesses that have less than five employees, for one year. This can be extended upon approval from the Prime Minister. As such, employers who have less than five employees will have to pay the 1,500 ringgit minimum wage from January 1, 2023.
However, an employer whose business activities is classified under the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO) must also pay the 1,500 ringgit (US$341), regardless of the number of employees they have.
The new minimum wage equates to: ASEAN Briefing
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India - Govt likely to hike MSP by 5-20% for summer crops
The government may announce higher-than-usual increases in minimum support prices (MSP) for the summer-sown crops in 2022-23 year soon, taking into consideration a sharp rise in costs of farming inputs.
The MSP increases this year could roughly be in the range of 5-20%, the highest since 2018-19 when a new policy of 50% profits over computed cost of production led to MSP hikes for kharif crops in the range of 4.1-28.1%.
According to sources, the sharpest MSP hikes this year have been recommended by the Commission of Agriculture Costs and Prices for oilseeds like soyabean and groundnut. Among pulses, tur and moong may also see steep hikes in support prices, as the imports of these items rose last year amid a domestic supply crunch. The government also reckons that higher domestic production of other oilseeds will help reduce palm oil imports. Financial Express
-----
The costs of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine continue to mount, not only in terms of lives lost and cities and villages reduced to rubble. The war in Europe has loaded big costs on the global economy, especially developing economies already under stress from the COVID-19 crisis, and is shaking the foundations of the global economic and political order on which post-war prosperity and security were built.
Prosecution of the war has meant not only high-powered NATO materiel support for Ukraine but the imposition of comprehensive economic sanctions to target a clear Russian violation of international law. The sanctions, however effective in diminishing the Russian economy and disconnecting it from the world economy, come at the considerable cost of squeezing world energy and food markets and also undermine systemic trust in the international trade regime. Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports piles on additional pressure to world grain supplies. Russian energy exports continue and the high prices are cushioning the massive economic blow to the Russian economy. East Asia Forum
-----
Indonesia - Government seeks middle ground to solve cooking oil problem: Minister
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government strives to seek a middle ground to reduce the price of cooking oil and increase its supply in Indonesia, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated.
The minister highlighted the government's keenness to restructure the upstream and downstream sector of cooking oil in terms of the production and distribution in order to increase the state revenue and prevent future recurrence of the problem of fluctuating prices and supply of cooking oil.
"In the upstream sector, the government must be able to maintain the welfare of the palm oil farmers. In the downstream sector, the government must ensure that the public can buy cooking oil at a reasonable price," he remarked at an online press conference here on Sunday. Antara News
-----
Indonesia - Govt approves 1 million tons of CPO for export
Two weeks since lifting its ban on palm oil exports, the government has approved shipments of more than 1 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO) and derivative products, expressing hope that the move would lift fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices for smallholder farmers. The export volume was calculated based on the 1:3 ratio for the commodity’s amount required under the domestic market obligation (DMO) and that permitted for exporting under the new People’s Bulk Cooking Oil program. However, only around one-third of the shipments approved for export had left Indonesia by Sunday because producers were facing logistical as well as other issues. The Jakarta Post
-----
Malaysia - Malaysia palm group warns of losses ahead from 'severe' labour crunch
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (Reuters) - Malaysia is missing a golden opportunity to capitalise on high palm oil prices and could suffer more production losses due to a "severe" shortage of about 120,000 workers, the Malaysian Estate Owners' Association (MEOA) told Reuters on Monday.
The world's second biggest palm oil producer has been struggling to harvest palm fruit due to a labour shortage exacerbated by its pandemic-related immigration restrictions.
Foreign workers, mostly from Indonesia, typically make up about 80% of the workforce in Malaysian estates, which numbered about 437,000 at the start of the pandemic. Reuters
-----
Malaysian planters see losses in earnings by 5-10% from labour shortages
KUALA LUMPUR (June 6): Malaysian planters see losses in earnings by a further 5-10% this year, exacerbated by the acute labour shortages in the oil palm industry.
In a statement on Monday (June 6), the Malaysian Estate Owners' Association (MEOA) said the two oil palm regions in Malaysia where there are massive shortages of labour are Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, which make up 74% of the total oil palm production area in Malaysia.
It said even if there are fresh fruit bunches (FFB) on the trees, they are not being harvested, or are not harvested within the specified norm of 12 to 15 days round. The Edge Markets
-----
Malaysia - MEOA expects urgency in issuance of permits to all plantations
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Estate Owners’ Association (MEOA) remains optimistic that work permits will be issued to mid-sized and small plantations with the same urgency and expediency as they are to larger firms.
Amid the labour crunch facing the oil palm industry, it said the association is pleased to hear in the market that a big company had been allocated permit to bring in a limited group of workers from Lombok, Indonesia, even if it was highly publicised that the inaugural intake was aborted. The Sun Daily
-----
Malaysia - PAPSMA urges government to expedite entry of Bangladeshi workers
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Association of Private Employment Agencies Malaysia (PAPSMA) has called on the government to expedite the entry of Bangladeshi workers into the country without further delays.
Its president Datuk Megat Fairouz Junaidi Megat Junid said many industries, especially plantation agencies, as well as small and medium enterprises (SME) were facing a shortage of workers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The shortage of manpower in Malaysia is considered to have exceeded two million foreign workers in main sectors that are not of interest to the local workforce, such as manufacturing, construction and 3D (dangerous, difficult, dirty) sectors,” he said in a press conference here today.
According to him, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) in a statement in February this year said Malaysia suffers as much as RM1 billion in losses as a result of palm oil fruits not being harvested on time due to the lack of foreign workers who have returned to their respective countries over the past three years. The Sun Daily
-----
Malaysia Increases Minimum Wage from May 1, 2022: What are the Implications for Businesses?
Malaysia increased the national monthly minimum wage from May 1, 2022, by 25 percent from 1,200 ringgit (US$273) to 1,500 ringgit (US$341). The National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 obligates the government to review the minimum wage every two years. The last time the minimum wage was reviewed and increased was on February 1, 2020.
A long-awaited increase
The wage increase will only apply to businesses in the private sector that have five employees or more.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has said that the government is prepared to give leeway to businesses that have less than five employees, for one year. This can be extended upon approval from the Prime Minister. As such, employers who have less than five employees will have to pay the 1,500 ringgit minimum wage from January 1, 2023.
However, an employer whose business activities is classified under the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO) must also pay the 1,500 ringgit (US$341), regardless of the number of employees they have.
The new minimum wage equates to: ASEAN Briefing
-----
India - Govt likely to hike MSP by 5-20% for summer crops
The government may announce higher-than-usual increases in minimum support prices (MSP) for the summer-sown crops in 2022-23 year soon, taking into consideration a sharp rise in costs of farming inputs.
The MSP increases this year could roughly be in the range of 5-20%, the highest since 2018-19 when a new policy of 50% profits over computed cost of production led to MSP hikes for kharif crops in the range of 4.1-28.1%.
According to sources, the sharpest MSP hikes this year have been recommended by the Commission of Agriculture Costs and Prices for oilseeds like soyabean and groundnut. Among pulses, tur and moong may also see steep hikes in support prices, as the imports of these items rose last year amid a domestic supply crunch. The government also reckons that higher domestic production of other oilseeds will help reduce palm oil imports. Financial Express
-----
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Malaysia - China keen to invest in Sabah's palm oil industry
KOTA KINABALU: China is keen to explore investment opportunities in Sabah's palm oil industry.
This is among the areas the Chinese government is interested to tap into, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in a meeting here on Saturday (June 4).
The two leaders discussed potential bilateral trade ties and potential investments into the Bornean state as China and Sabah agreed to forge closer economic and cultural links.
They also covered issues on technology transfers in various fields particularly in the agriculture and fisheries industries. The StarMY
-----
US ban on Malaysian products not just about forced labour
PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader suggests that the ban by the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) on selected products coming from Malaysia is not just due to the issue of forced labour.
Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy claimed it could also be because of protectionism and geopolitical reasons.
He said while he does not condone forced labour that is prevalent in many parts of the world, the US move could be to protect its domestic industries from unhealthy competition.
“The CBP may be going after Malaysian products that compete with those produced in the US. If there is perceived competition, primarily in the use of cheap labour, then they might deem it necessary to protect the domestic industries,” he said in a statement today. FMT
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Malaysia Airlines operating flight to S'pore using fuel made from renewable waste & cooking oil on June 5, 2022
he Malaysian carrier will be operating passenger flights that use sustainable aviation fuel on June 5, in conjunction with World Environment Day.
The dedicated sustainable aviation fuel-powered flights will be operated on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, using a blend of approximately 38 per cent sustainable aviation fuel and conventional jet fuel.
"Compared to conventional fossil jet fuel, this sustainable fuel option, made from 100 per cent renewable waste and residue raw materials (such as cooking oil), can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent," said Malaysia Airlines. MothershipSG
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KOTA KINABALU: China is keen to explore investment opportunities in Sabah's palm oil industry.
This is among the areas the Chinese government is interested to tap into, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in a meeting here on Saturday (June 4).
The two leaders discussed potential bilateral trade ties and potential investments into the Bornean state as China and Sabah agreed to forge closer economic and cultural links.
They also covered issues on technology transfers in various fields particularly in the agriculture and fisheries industries. The StarMY
-----
US ban on Malaysian products not just about forced labour
PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader suggests that the ban by the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) on selected products coming from Malaysia is not just due to the issue of forced labour.
Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy claimed it could also be because of protectionism and geopolitical reasons.
He said while he does not condone forced labour that is prevalent in many parts of the world, the US move could be to protect its domestic industries from unhealthy competition.
“The CBP may be going after Malaysian products that compete with those produced in the US. If there is perceived competition, primarily in the use of cheap labour, then they might deem it necessary to protect the domestic industries,” he said in a statement today. FMT
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Malaysia Airlines operating flight to S'pore using fuel made from renewable waste & cooking oil on June 5, 2022
he Malaysian carrier will be operating passenger flights that use sustainable aviation fuel on June 5, in conjunction with World Environment Day.
The dedicated sustainable aviation fuel-powered flights will be operated on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, using a blend of approximately 38 per cent sustainable aviation fuel and conventional jet fuel.
"Compared to conventional fossil jet fuel, this sustainable fuel option, made from 100 per cent renewable waste and residue raw materials (such as cooking oil), can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent," said Malaysia Airlines. MothershipSG
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Malaysia - MSPO strengths often overlooked, says Zuraida
KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said today that although there has been some increase in the European Union’s (EU) awareness of sustainable palm oil and the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), there is still not enough understanding of the metrics or of its successes.
According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), 3,040 estates or 96.04 per cent comprising 4,064,895 hectares (ha) of planted land had obtained MSPO certification as of June 30, 2020, while as many as 400 oil mills or 88.5 per cent have been MSPO certified.
“The strengths of the MSPO standard are often overlooked in view of the economic block’s favouritism towards the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, she said in an article entitled: MSPO: Government’s effort in ensuring the sustainability of the palm oil industry. The Sun Daily
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Thailand joins RSPO, GIZ in making palm oil industry more sustainable
The Agriculture Ministry aims to allocate more land to palm plantations in Thailand to boost productivity and meet future demands.
Alongkorn Phonbutr, adviser to the agriculture minister, made this remark on Tuesday at the Second Business Forum organised by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the German Organisation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
"We are increasing the yield per rai by no less than 10 per cent and the extraction rate of 22-23 per cent to increase productivity to meet future demand," he said.
He added that the Agriculture Ministry, alongside RSPO, will work on raising the standard of sustainable palm-oil production in Thailand and in line with this, the Thailand Sustainable Palm Oil Alliance has been established. Standards on agricultural commodities related to oil palm will also be established by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards. Nation Thailand
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KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said today that although there has been some increase in the European Union’s (EU) awareness of sustainable palm oil and the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), there is still not enough understanding of the metrics or of its successes.
According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), 3,040 estates or 96.04 per cent comprising 4,064,895 hectares (ha) of planted land had obtained MSPO certification as of June 30, 2020, while as many as 400 oil mills or 88.5 per cent have been MSPO certified.
“The strengths of the MSPO standard are often overlooked in view of the economic block’s favouritism towards the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, she said in an article entitled: MSPO: Government’s effort in ensuring the sustainability of the palm oil industry. The Sun Daily
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Thailand joins RSPO, GIZ in making palm oil industry more sustainable
The Agriculture Ministry aims to allocate more land to palm plantations in Thailand to boost productivity and meet future demands.
Alongkorn Phonbutr, adviser to the agriculture minister, made this remark on Tuesday at the Second Business Forum organised by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the German Organisation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
"We are increasing the yield per rai by no less than 10 per cent and the extraction rate of 22-23 per cent to increase productivity to meet future demand," he said.
He added that the Agriculture Ministry, alongside RSPO, will work on raising the standard of sustainable palm-oil production in Thailand and in line with this, the Thailand Sustainable Palm Oil Alliance has been established. Standards on agricultural commodities related to oil palm will also be established by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards. Nation Thailand
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INDONESIA HAS ISSUED EXPORT PERMITS FOR 275,454 T OF PALM OIL -OFFICIAL
JAKARTA, June 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia as of Friday has issued export permits for a total of 275,454 tonnes of palm oil products since allowing exports to resume, senior Trade Ministry official Oke Nurwan said.
The permits were granted to 21 companies mostly for refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil and olein, he said. The export allocation rose from the accumulated 179,464 tonnes a day earlier. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe Writing by Fransiska Nangoy Editing by Ed Davies) Agriculture
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Indonesia - Statistics: CPO Export Ban Succeeds to Suppress Cooking Oil Prices
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Statistics Indonesia or BPS head Margo Yuwono said the government’s decision to ban the export of crude palm oil (CPO) since April 23, 2022, yielded positive outcomes on cooking oil prices. “It is proven that in May, cooking oil posted deflation,” said Margo in a press release as quoted from Bisnis.com, Thursday, June 2, 2022.
The BPS data showed that cooking oil contributed to inflation at minus 0.01 percent in May 2022. Previously in April 2022, the commodity had the highest share of domestic inflation at 0.19 percent.
“When calculating cooking oil inflation, BPS combined packaged and bulk cooking oil prices. Overall, the price of cooking oil in May decreased compared to April 2022,” Margo emphasized. Tempo
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Indonesia - Greenpeace Urges Govt to Audit Palm Oil Companies
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Environmental watchdog Greenpeace along with a number of civil organizations demanded transparency in the land-cultivation permits (HGU) in order to evaluate the upstream cooking oil industry. Greenpeace forest campaigner Sekar Banjaran Aji assessed that oil palm plantations in the archipelago are mostly controlled by oligarchs.
“What is happening in the cooking oil industry is very nasty because it is filled with many oligarchs,” Sekar told reporters at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
According to her, by disclosing the details of the HGU, the government could evaluate whole upstream issues in the cooking oil industry. The public could also assess how palm oil management is running by far.
“The land tenure is huge. Until now, we are still questioning the transparency of the HGU of these palm oil companies,” said Sekar. Tempo
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Canada-Indonesia trade deal risks deepening global troubles
The climate crisis, social inequality and biodiversity loss could all worsen from increased trade in forest products, rubber and palm oil.
Canadian chemical fertilizers are being sent in large quantities to Indonesia. Rubber and palm plantations are major users of chemical fertilizers in that country to produce goods often linked to deforestation that are then exported back to Canada. At the same time, wood products already flow in both directions with questionable transparency regarding corporate ownership or environmental protections.
This March we learned negotiations are accelerating towards a Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The first round took place in Jakarta, followed by an in-person meeting between Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in mid-April. A second round of talks in Ottawa is imminent.
This deal is likely to entrench reliance on chemical fertilizers, exacerbate deforestation and threaten the rights of local communities and Indigenous peoples. It will rely on bilateral trade in risky commodities like forest products, rubber and palm oil. Policy Options
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JAKARTA, June 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia as of Friday has issued export permits for a total of 275,454 tonnes of palm oil products since allowing exports to resume, senior Trade Ministry official Oke Nurwan said.
The permits were granted to 21 companies mostly for refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil and olein, he said. The export allocation rose from the accumulated 179,464 tonnes a day earlier. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe Writing by Fransiska Nangoy Editing by Ed Davies) Agriculture
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Indonesia - Statistics: CPO Export Ban Succeeds to Suppress Cooking Oil Prices
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Statistics Indonesia or BPS head Margo Yuwono said the government’s decision to ban the export of crude palm oil (CPO) since April 23, 2022, yielded positive outcomes on cooking oil prices. “It is proven that in May, cooking oil posted deflation,” said Margo in a press release as quoted from Bisnis.com, Thursday, June 2, 2022.
The BPS data showed that cooking oil contributed to inflation at minus 0.01 percent in May 2022. Previously in April 2022, the commodity had the highest share of domestic inflation at 0.19 percent.
“When calculating cooking oil inflation, BPS combined packaged and bulk cooking oil prices. Overall, the price of cooking oil in May decreased compared to April 2022,” Margo emphasized. Tempo
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Indonesia - Greenpeace Urges Govt to Audit Palm Oil Companies
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Environmental watchdog Greenpeace along with a number of civil organizations demanded transparency in the land-cultivation permits (HGU) in order to evaluate the upstream cooking oil industry. Greenpeace forest campaigner Sekar Banjaran Aji assessed that oil palm plantations in the archipelago are mostly controlled by oligarchs.
“What is happening in the cooking oil industry is very nasty because it is filled with many oligarchs,” Sekar told reporters at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
According to her, by disclosing the details of the HGU, the government could evaluate whole upstream issues in the cooking oil industry. The public could also assess how palm oil management is running by far.
“The land tenure is huge. Until now, we are still questioning the transparency of the HGU of these palm oil companies,” said Sekar. Tempo
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Canada-Indonesia trade deal risks deepening global troubles
The climate crisis, social inequality and biodiversity loss could all worsen from increased trade in forest products, rubber and palm oil.
Canadian chemical fertilizers are being sent in large quantities to Indonesia. Rubber and palm plantations are major users of chemical fertilizers in that country to produce goods often linked to deforestation that are then exported back to Canada. At the same time, wood products already flow in both directions with questionable transparency regarding corporate ownership or environmental protections.
This March we learned negotiations are accelerating towards a Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The first round took place in Jakarta, followed by an in-person meeting between Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in mid-April. A second round of talks in Ottawa is imminent.
This deal is likely to entrench reliance on chemical fertilizers, exacerbate deforestation and threaten the rights of local communities and Indigenous peoples. It will rely on bilateral trade in risky commodities like forest products, rubber and palm oil. Policy Options
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NATURAL HABITATS RELEASES PALM POSITIVE+, A REFERENCE GUIDE: Palm Done Right Educates, Empowers & Dispels Myths for the Good of People and Planet
Natural Habitats, through its sustainability initiative/movement Palm Done Right, announced today the release of their new guide Palm Positive+, A Reference Guide. With an ever-present focus on full transparency, organic practices and sustainability, Palm Done Right created Palm Positive+ to dispel health myths, promote supply chain transparency, profile the people behind sustainable palm, and shed light on this widely used, versatile ingredient.
The reference guide, now available for download at https://palmdoneright.com/ and in hard copy, details the history of palm oil and the timeline of sustainability within the industry. Readers will learn more about health benefits, consumer attitudes toward palm oil, and the methodology behind sustainable palm farming. The regenerative practices behind organic palm have a multitude of benefits, all detailed within Palm Positive+, A Reference Guide, and which include helping increase plant biodiversity and sustain healthy soil even in turbulent conditions. PR Web
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Sustainable palm oil: Market leakage remains a challenge
Consumer demand for sustainably-sources products is seen as fundamental to the adoption of environmental practices in the palm oil sector, but market leakage is limiting the pressure on firms to adapt. Indonesia and other countries are perceived as leakage markets and thus are capping the pressure to create sustainable palm oil products, an environmental expert has said. Bukti Bagja, senior manager for smallholders and livelihood transformation at World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, said pushing for sustainable practices in the palm oil sector was challenging, because demand for sustainable palm oil products was very limited in both the domestic and international market.
The Jakarta Post
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EU - The war in Ukraine ‘cannot be a justification to delay the Green Deal’, stresses EU
EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has insisted the Green Deal, which contains the landmark Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, will remain a key priority despite the conflict in Ukraine. Food Navigator
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INDONESIA HAS ISSUED 160 PALM OIL EXPORT PERMITS FOR 18 COMPANIES - OFFICIAL
JAKARTA, June 2 (Reuters) - The world's top palm oil producer, Indonesia, has issued 160 palm oil export permits for 18 companies as of June 2, Oke Nurwan, a senior trade ministry official said on Thursday.
Permits issued so far have covered 179,464 tonnes of shipments, mostly for refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil and olein, he said. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe Writing by Fransiska Nangoy Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor) Agriculture/ Reuters
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Sri Lanka - Palm oil industry requests govt. to lift bans and other restrictions
In a surprise move, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in April 2021 banned the imports of palm oil and new palm plantations and told the producers to uproot the existing plantations in a phased manner, in order to promote coconut oil production and consumption.
The decision was largely based on unproven and unscientific claims that palm oil consumption led to various illnesses while cultivation caused widespread deforestation and damaged the ecosystems.
“The palm oil industry has attracted years of negative propaganda and misinformation, particularly in Sri Lanka. Much of it is based on the experiences of certain countries, where uncontrolled cultivation has impacted ecosystems. However, in Sri Lanka, there is no such risk of that happening and furthermore, it has never been experienced during the 50 years of oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka,” the Palm Oil Industry Association of Sri Lanka (POIASL) said in a statement yesterday. Daily MirrorLK
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Sri Lanka - ‘Palm oil industry could positively impact economy’
Sri Lanka’s palm oil industry is a relatively small one, but it is in a position to have a larger positive impact on the economic future of our country and is ready to support the economy and government to overcome present challenges a Statement from Palm Oil Industry Association (POIASL) of Sri Lanka said.
Palm oil is the most produced, consumed and traded edible oil in the world, accounting for over 33% of the global edible oil market. The industry is also generally eco-friendly and entirely sustainable, particularly in Sri Lanka, where the cultivation occurs only on existing plantation land and not on virgin land. The Palm oil industry has attracted years of negative propaganda and misinformation, particularly in Sri Lanka. Much of it is based on the experiences of certain countries where uncontrolled cultivation has impacted ecosystems. However, in Sri Lanka there is no such risk of that happening and furthermore, it has never been experienced during 50 years of oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka. Daily NewsLK
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Natural Habitats, through its sustainability initiative/movement Palm Done Right, announced today the release of their new guide Palm Positive+, A Reference Guide. With an ever-present focus on full transparency, organic practices and sustainability, Palm Done Right created Palm Positive+ to dispel health myths, promote supply chain transparency, profile the people behind sustainable palm, and shed light on this widely used, versatile ingredient.
The reference guide, now available for download at https://palmdoneright.com/ and in hard copy, details the history of palm oil and the timeline of sustainability within the industry. Readers will learn more about health benefits, consumer attitudes toward palm oil, and the methodology behind sustainable palm farming. The regenerative practices behind organic palm have a multitude of benefits, all detailed within Palm Positive+, A Reference Guide, and which include helping increase plant biodiversity and sustain healthy soil even in turbulent conditions. PR Web
-----
Sustainable palm oil: Market leakage remains a challenge
Consumer demand for sustainably-sources products is seen as fundamental to the adoption of environmental practices in the palm oil sector, but market leakage is limiting the pressure on firms to adapt. Indonesia and other countries are perceived as leakage markets and thus are capping the pressure to create sustainable palm oil products, an environmental expert has said. Bukti Bagja, senior manager for smallholders and livelihood transformation at World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, said pushing for sustainable practices in the palm oil sector was challenging, because demand for sustainable palm oil products was very limited in both the domestic and international market.
The Jakarta Post
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EU - The war in Ukraine ‘cannot be a justification to delay the Green Deal’, stresses EU
EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has insisted the Green Deal, which contains the landmark Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, will remain a key priority despite the conflict in Ukraine. Food Navigator
-----
INDONESIA HAS ISSUED 160 PALM OIL EXPORT PERMITS FOR 18 COMPANIES - OFFICIAL
JAKARTA, June 2 (Reuters) - The world's top palm oil producer, Indonesia, has issued 160 palm oil export permits for 18 companies as of June 2, Oke Nurwan, a senior trade ministry official said on Thursday.
Permits issued so far have covered 179,464 tonnes of shipments, mostly for refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil and olein, he said. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe Writing by Fransiska Nangoy Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor) Agriculture/ Reuters
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Sri Lanka - Palm oil industry requests govt. to lift bans and other restrictions
- Says such a move will enable industry to play its part support ailing economy
- Proposes govt. to liberalise industry to strengthen smallholder investment and trigger rural development
In a surprise move, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in April 2021 banned the imports of palm oil and new palm plantations and told the producers to uproot the existing plantations in a phased manner, in order to promote coconut oil production and consumption.
The decision was largely based on unproven and unscientific claims that palm oil consumption led to various illnesses while cultivation caused widespread deforestation and damaged the ecosystems.
“The palm oil industry has attracted years of negative propaganda and misinformation, particularly in Sri Lanka. Much of it is based on the experiences of certain countries, where uncontrolled cultivation has impacted ecosystems. However, in Sri Lanka, there is no such risk of that happening and furthermore, it has never been experienced during the 50 years of oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka,” the Palm Oil Industry Association of Sri Lanka (POIASL) said in a statement yesterday. Daily MirrorLK
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Sri Lanka - ‘Palm oil industry could positively impact economy’
Sri Lanka’s palm oil industry is a relatively small one, but it is in a position to have a larger positive impact on the economic future of our country and is ready to support the economy and government to overcome present challenges a Statement from Palm Oil Industry Association (POIASL) of Sri Lanka said.
Palm oil is the most produced, consumed and traded edible oil in the world, accounting for over 33% of the global edible oil market. The industry is also generally eco-friendly and entirely sustainable, particularly in Sri Lanka, where the cultivation occurs only on existing plantation land and not on virgin land. The Palm oil industry has attracted years of negative propaganda and misinformation, particularly in Sri Lanka. Much of it is based on the experiences of certain countries where uncontrolled cultivation has impacted ecosystems. However, in Sri Lanka there is no such risk of that happening and furthermore, it has never been experienced during 50 years of oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka. Daily NewsLK
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Indonesia - Pertamina teams up with Japanese companies for LNG from POME methane project
Indonesia’s state-owned energy company PT Pertamina has teamed up with three Japanese gas companies to conduct a feasibility study on bio-methane production from palm oil mill waste (POME) and its potential to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Indonesia, the company said.
The collaboration between Pertamina, Osaka Gas, JGC Holdings Corporation (JGC) and Inpex Corporation (Inpex) will conduct project feasibility studies, including cooperation in the research and development of technology and solutions related to bio-methane production from POME sources located in Sumatra and Kalimantan, according to the 12 May statement.
At a later date, the bio-methane produced would be channelled through Pertamina's gas network, the company said.
“In addition to developing New and Renewable Energy (EBT), this collaboration will help overcome environmental challenges… by converting palm oil waste into environmentally-friendly energy,” Pertamina acting vice president of Corporate Communication Heppy Wulansari said. OFI Magazine
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EU biofuels feedstock supply uncertain as reliance on rapeseed oil imports rises
The EU's purchases of rapeseed oil have risen sharply in the 2021-22 marketing year (July-June) from the previous season, a trend which is set to intensify in the near term, although uncertainty around rapeseed supply is expected to weigh on the bloc's biofuel feedstock option at a time it is looking to boost its renewable energy targets.
As of the week ended May 30, the EU's cumulative rapeseed oil imports soared 132% on the year to 553,207 mt in 2021-22, the latest data from the European Commission showed. In the same week of 2021, cumulative imports posted a 7.9% decline on the year.
The EU's rapeseed oil purchases for blending purposes will soar after the bloc embargoed Russian crude oil imports, industry sources told S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Meanwhile, an EU plan to free itself from reliance on Russian energy and boost the share of energy from renewable sources to 45% by 2030 also makes a case for higher usage of biofuels. SP Global
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India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price
MUMBAI, May 31 (Reuters) - India has slashed the base import prices of crude and refined palm oil, while raising the price of crude soyoil, the government said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The government revises base import prices of edible oils, gold and silver every fortnight, and the prices are used to calculate the amount of tax an importer needs to pay.
India, the world's biggest edible oils importer, last week allowed duty free imports 2 million tonnes of soyoil. Reuters
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Indonesia anti-monopoly agency calls for control of palm oil plantation size
JAKARTA, May 31 (Reuters) - Indonesia's anti-monopoly agency on Tuesday called for tighter controls on how much palm oil plantation area a business group can operate, to reduce the risk of unfair competition in the downstream cooking oil industry.
The agency known as KPPU has been investigating cartel practices in the cooking oil sector, which uses palm oil as a raw material and has seen retail prices soar in recent months.
KPPU found in an initial analysis that just five business groups in Indonesia control a large chunk of the country's palm plantation area and that the area they control is larger than allowed, director Marcellina Nuring said in an online briefing on Tuesday.
She declined to name the groups and did not share details of size of their operations. Indonesia has a total palm oil plantation area of 16 million hectares, including those operated by small farmers, private firms and by state companies. Nasdaq
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Indonesia cancels plan to send workers to Malaysia's palm plantations
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia cancelled a plan to send its citizens to work in palm oil plantations in neighbouring Malaysia, which has faced a labour shortage, its envoy to Kuala Lumpur said on Tuesday (May 31).
Malaysia, the world's second-largest palm oil producer, was set to welcome the first major batch of migrant workers from Indonesia since reopening borders in a boost for the industry that is facing a shortage of more than 100,000 workers.
The labour crunch has cut Malaysian palm oil production, which relies on foreign labour, to multi-year lows when the world faces a broader edible oil shortage due to the Russia-Ukraine war and export restrictions in top producer Indonesia.
On Tuesday evening, 164 workers from the island of Lombok in Indonesia, the industry's preferred source country for workers because of similarities in weather and terrain, were expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on a chartered flight, Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia Hermono told Reuters. Channel News Asia
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Indonesia’s state-owned energy company PT Pertamina has teamed up with three Japanese gas companies to conduct a feasibility study on bio-methane production from palm oil mill waste (POME) and its potential to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Indonesia, the company said.
The collaboration between Pertamina, Osaka Gas, JGC Holdings Corporation (JGC) and Inpex Corporation (Inpex) will conduct project feasibility studies, including cooperation in the research and development of technology and solutions related to bio-methane production from POME sources located in Sumatra and Kalimantan, according to the 12 May statement.
At a later date, the bio-methane produced would be channelled through Pertamina's gas network, the company said.
“In addition to developing New and Renewable Energy (EBT), this collaboration will help overcome environmental challenges… by converting palm oil waste into environmentally-friendly energy,” Pertamina acting vice president of Corporate Communication Heppy Wulansari said. OFI Magazine
-----
EU biofuels feedstock supply uncertain as reliance on rapeseed oil imports rises
The EU's purchases of rapeseed oil have risen sharply in the 2021-22 marketing year (July-June) from the previous season, a trend which is set to intensify in the near term, although uncertainty around rapeseed supply is expected to weigh on the bloc's biofuel feedstock option at a time it is looking to boost its renewable energy targets.
As of the week ended May 30, the EU's cumulative rapeseed oil imports soared 132% on the year to 553,207 mt in 2021-22, the latest data from the European Commission showed. In the same week of 2021, cumulative imports posted a 7.9% decline on the year.
The EU's rapeseed oil purchases for blending purposes will soar after the bloc embargoed Russian crude oil imports, industry sources told S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Meanwhile, an EU plan to free itself from reliance on Russian energy and boost the share of energy from renewable sources to 45% by 2030 also makes a case for higher usage of biofuels. SP Global
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India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price
MUMBAI, May 31 (Reuters) - India has slashed the base import prices of crude and refined palm oil, while raising the price of crude soyoil, the government said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The government revises base import prices of edible oils, gold and silver every fortnight, and the prices are used to calculate the amount of tax an importer needs to pay.
India, the world's biggest edible oils importer, last week allowed duty free imports 2 million tonnes of soyoil. Reuters
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Indonesia anti-monopoly agency calls for control of palm oil plantation size
JAKARTA, May 31 (Reuters) - Indonesia's anti-monopoly agency on Tuesday called for tighter controls on how much palm oil plantation area a business group can operate, to reduce the risk of unfair competition in the downstream cooking oil industry.
The agency known as KPPU has been investigating cartel practices in the cooking oil sector, which uses palm oil as a raw material and has seen retail prices soar in recent months.
KPPU found in an initial analysis that just five business groups in Indonesia control a large chunk of the country's palm plantation area and that the area they control is larger than allowed, director Marcellina Nuring said in an online briefing on Tuesday.
She declined to name the groups and did not share details of size of their operations. Indonesia has a total palm oil plantation area of 16 million hectares, including those operated by small farmers, private firms and by state companies. Nasdaq
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Indonesia cancels plan to send workers to Malaysia's palm plantations
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia cancelled a plan to send its citizens to work in palm oil plantations in neighbouring Malaysia, which has faced a labour shortage, its envoy to Kuala Lumpur said on Tuesday (May 31).
Malaysia, the world's second-largest palm oil producer, was set to welcome the first major batch of migrant workers from Indonesia since reopening borders in a boost for the industry that is facing a shortage of more than 100,000 workers.
The labour crunch has cut Malaysian palm oil production, which relies on foreign labour, to multi-year lows when the world faces a broader edible oil shortage due to the Russia-Ukraine war and export restrictions in top producer Indonesia.
On Tuesday evening, 164 workers from the island of Lombok in Indonesia, the industry's preferred source country for workers because of similarities in weather and terrain, were expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on a chartered flight, Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia Hermono told Reuters. Channel News Asia
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CSPO Watch. Palm oil news June 2022