Commodities
Asia Biofuels Update: Malaysian Palm Oil Firms on Biodiesel Push
Malaysian palm oil futures rose further on Tuesday after the country's government announced that it will begin raising its palm-based biodiesel blend to 15% from the current 10% in June.The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives' June crude palm oil contract climbed 1.87% to 4,676 Malaysian ringgit ($1,179.32) per metric ton. The July contract inched up 1.93% to 4,711 ringgit/mt in midday trade.Deputy Prime Minister Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly said that 19 biodiesel plants will start producing B15 from June 1, according to multiple media outlets. The government will also target a shift to B20 and then to B50 over the next two to three years.However, lower exports continued to weigh on prices, with cargo surveyors reportedly estimating a 15.7% to 16.8% month-over-month decline in Malaysian shipments for the April 1-25 period. Malaysia's industry body will release monthly data on May 11.In Indonesia, exports totaled 1.31 million tons in March, a drop versus the previous year's 2.0 mmt. Q1 export volumes also fell year over year to 5.85 mmt from 5.35 mmt.The country's move to raise its biodiesel mandate to 50% from the current 40% beginning July 1 will increase domestic consumption, potentially reducing exports further, particularly with the expected reduction in local supply due to a developing El Nino weather phenomenon and rising fertilizer costs.Exports from both Malaysia and Indonesia weakened due to lower demand from key importer India. A war-driven price rally prompted Indian buyers to cut purchases, with palm oil imports dropping 27% month over month to a one-year low of 505,000 metric tons in April, according to dealers cited by Reuters.As palm oil prices rose and discounts to rival oils narrowed, India's April soybean oil imports reportedly increased from a month earlier by 24% to 355,000 mt. Sunflower oil purchases more than doubled to a 22-month high of 435,000 mt.Declining exports in both Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, could influence price movements this week, according to financial services company PhillipCapital.