Latest News

China's palm oil demand may shrink in 2024 due to low soy oil rates

Palm olein imports to top buyer China might fall by 26% to 3.1 million metric lots in 2024 as the most widely utilized edible oil loses pricing edge over rival soy oil, an executive at Cargill Investments (China) Ltd. said on Wednesday.

A record South American soybean crop has lowered prices. for the main competitor, which usually trades at a premium. to palm oil, harming demand for the latter.

If we presume the present palm oil soybean oil spread in. both cash and futures forward market stays throughout the year,. 2024 olein import could drop to 3.1 million tons from 4.2. million heaps in 2023, Ryan Chen, a director at Cargill. Investments (China) Ltd, stated in a market conference in Kuala. Lumpur.

Palm oil output in leading manufacturers Indonesia and Malaysia has. stagnated while need is expected to increase due to biodiesel. mandates, driving the costs up, while soy oil output is set to. grow, market experts informed the very same conference.

However, palm oil's premium over soy and sunflower oils is. anticipated to subside by early May at the latest, as their prices. are likewise anticipated to rise, market expert Thomas Mielke stated.

(source: Reuters)