- Last week, Platts cited Intertek as saying that palm oil-based biodiesel exports from Indonesia and Malaysia amounted to 111,161 tonnes in October 2014, 29.4% higher than the previous month.

- Malaysia shipped 36,960 tonnes in October versus 10,800 tonnes in September. These consisted of 11,700 tonnes from Pasir Gudang, 10,750 tonnes from Port Klang, 10,000 tonnes from Sabah and 4,510 tonnes from Kuantan.

- The cargos were headed towards European Union. The report quoted traders as saying that Malaysian biodiesel, which was usually priced at US$20-30/tonne above Indonesian biodiesel was offered at par or even below. Selling prices were reduced due to the fall in CPO prices.

- Bloomberg reported that Pertamina is seeking up to 2.7mil kilolitres (953,496 tonnes) of biodiesel for 2015F.

- The group has secured contracts of 600,000 kilolitres (211,888 tonnes) for 2015F and is in the process of tendering for the remaining quota.

- A company official said that biodiesel requirements in 2015F may reach 3.3mil kilolitres (1.17mil tonnes) due to demand from the state utility, PT Listrik Negara. Pertamina has secured 2.3mil kilolitres (812,237 tonnes) for 2014F.

- In Malaysia, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister said that the country is planning to implement B10 in 2015F.

- Issues surrounding the implementation of B10 are expected to be ironed out by mid-2015.

- Kuala Lumpur Kepong’s Equatorial Palm Oil Ltd (EPO) plans to plant up to 2,500ha of oil palm in Liberia by end-2014F. This is lower than the original target of 4,000ha.

- EPO said that operations are continuing as normal although it is not easy to travel due to the many check points.

- There has not been any outbreak of Ebola in EPO’s estates. EPO has more than 1,500 employees in Liberia. Out of these, about 12 are expatriates.

Source: AmeSecurities