Biofuels Update: Major Feedstocks Up on Crude Oil Price Rally
A rally in crude oil prices buoyed major biofuel feedstocks on Monday, although signs of weakening exports capped gains for Malaysian palm oil.The May soybean oil contract on the Chicago Board of Trade climbed 1.16% to 67.87 cents per pound, as a bullish biofuel program in the US provided an upside.However, ample supply availability of soybeans weighed on soybean futures, with the May CBOT contract slipping 0.11% to $11.75 per bushel in early trade.In South America, reports showed that Brazil's soybean harvest was 82% complete as of early April, while Argentina's pace was at 2.4%.In the US, agriculture department projected soybean plantings to be 84.7 million acres, which are below expectations."The market remains torn between ample South American supply and lower US planting area and improving demand," price reporting agency MySteel said, adding that soybeans will likely trade in a rangebound manner as a result.In Asia, the May crude palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives exchange closed higher by 0.24% to 4,511 Malaysian ringgit ($1,134.99) per metric ton after a volatile session. The June contract rose 0.37% to 4,555 ringgit/mt.Escalating geopolitical conflict has lifted palm oil prices since late February, but signs of weakening exports weighed on today's futures.Industry profits may not totally reflect surging prices as shipping disruptions cut export margins, Malaysian Palm Oil Board director-general Ahmad Parveez told The Star.Malaysia's key markets in the Middle East may also turn to nearby suppliers as shipping detours around Africa prolong transit times by almost two weeks, Parveez reportedly said.In the first 10 days of April, Malaysian shipments reportedly dropped between 30.7% and 38.9% versus month-ago levels, according to cargo surveyors. If lower exports are sustained for the whole of April, the trend could reverse a 40.7% month-over-month jump in March shipments.Anilkumar Bagani of Sunvin Group, as cited by Reuters, said further robust export performance is necessary to facilitate a drop in domestic inventories this month.CIMB Securities, as cited by New Straits Times, said Malaysian stocks could further fall to 2.2 mmt in April from 2.3 mmt in March, if higher demand is sustained and production declines.The country's export demand could get a boost from Indonesia's move to raise biodiesel blending to 50% from 40% beginning July 1.Production, on the other hand, could ease due to fertilizer supply disruptions and El Nino-related risks.In the US, the May-dated ethanol futures on the NYMEX gained 0.52% to about $1.94 per gallon on Friday.