Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Palm Oil

  • Escalating Trade War Impacts on Indonesia's Commodity Prices

    Earlier this week US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 10 percent import tariffs on USD $200 billion worth of Chinese export products by 30 August 2018, thus further escalating the trade war between the USA and China. While earlier US tariffs focused mostly on industrial goods, the new list of proposed import tariffs includes various commodities (metals, energy and agriculture) as well as consumer products. As a result most commodity prices were in red territory on Wednesday (11/07).

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  • Indonesia Scraps Trade Ministry Regulation No. 82/2017 on National Shipping

    The Indonesian government scrapped Trade Ministry Regulation No. 82/2017 on the Terms of Use of National Shipping and Insurance Companies for the Export and Import of Certain Goods. This regulation, which was originally scheduled to be implemented in May 2018 (but its implementation had already been postponed), would have made it mandatory to use local vessels (owned by Indonesian sea shipping companies) for the export of coal, crude palm oil (CPO), and rice.

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  • Indonesia May File Compaint at WTO over US Anti-Dumping Duties

    In early April 2018 the United States confirmed steep anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on Indonesian biodiesel imports. Published through the Federal Register the US imposed additional duties that range between 126.97 percent and 341.38 percent. For sure, this seriously harms the competitiveness of Indonesian biodiesel shipments to the world's top economy. If the policy is not altered, then it basically means the end of Indonesian biodiesel exports to the US market.

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  • EU Court Rules in Favor of Indonesia in Anti-Dumping Duty of Biodiesel

    After the World Trade Organization (WTO) had ruled, largely, in favor of Indonesia (in January 2018) in the battle between Indonesia and the European Union (EU) regarding the latter's anti-dumping duties on Indonesian biodiesel exports, Indonesia has now also won its appeal at the EU court. The European Court of Justice, the highest court in the EU, ruled that the bloc needs to scrap its anti-dumping duties on imports of Indonesian biodiesel products that range between 8.8 - 23.3 percent.

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  • Gov't of Indonesia to Delay New Shipping and Insurance Regulation?

    After receiving criticism from various stakeholders, the Indonesian government reportedly decided to postpone the implementation of a new regulation that requires all domestic coal, palm oil and rice exporters to use ships that are owned by local sea shipping companies and requires them to use domestic insurance.

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  • US Confirms Preliminary Anti-Dumping Duty on Indonesian Biodiesel

    Wilbur Ross, US Secretary of Commerce, stated that the US Department of Commerce issued an affirmative final anti-dumping duty on biodiesel shipments that originate from Indonesia. The statement was released overnight (21/02). The decision was made to improve the situation of local US biodiesel producers as their business was undermined by cheap biodiesel imports from Indonesia (and Argentina).

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  • Will 2018 Be a Good Year for Indonesia's Palm Oil Industry?

    Although the crude palm oil price remains under pressure at the start of 2018 (as palm oil stocks touched their highest level in over two years last December), prospects for the crude palm oil industry seem positive in 2018. Meanwhile, 2017 can be labeled the year of recovery for stakeholders in the palm oil industry after having been plagued by El Nino-related weather trouble in the preceding year.

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  • Biodiesel Consumption in Indonesia to Fall in Second Half 2017

    Based on statements from a government agency, Indonesia's biodiesel consumption is set to decline in the second half of 2017 due to some "technical issues". While in the first six months of 2017 biodiesel consumption in Indonesia reached 1.67 million kiloliters, this figure is expected to fall to 0.86 million kiloliters in the second half of the year, hence resulting in an estimated total of 2.53 million kiloliters in full-year 2017.

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  • USA Imposes Anti-Dumping Duties on Biodiesel Imports from Indonesia

    On Monday (23/10) the US Commerce Department issued a preliminary ruling and decided to set anti-dumping duties of 50.71 percent on biodiesel imports from Indonesia. Meanwhile, the USA also set anti-dumping duties, ranging between 54.36 to 70.05 percent, on soy-based biodiesel imports from Argentina.

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Latest Columns Palm Oil

  • Indonesia's Crude Palm Oil Sector; CPO Price Expected to Rebound

    The price of crude palm oil (CPO), which has been under downward pressure for a long time as global turmoil lingers on, started to rebound due to falling stockpiles in Indonesia and Malaysia. Reserves of the commodity fell because of weather conditions and because of an increase in demand ahead of the Islamic fasting month (Ramadhan). The price of crude palm oil is expected to hit the USD $900 per ton mark in late 2013, up from USD $828-865 per ton in May and June. This price recovery is expected to continue.

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  • Indonesia's Trade Balance Reports Another Trade Deficit in April

    Indonesia's trade balance recorded another deficit in April 2013 as imports (USD $16.31 billion) exceeded exports (USD $14.70 billion). April's trade deficit, amounting to USD $1.62 billion, was mainly due to continued weak commodity exports in combination with strong oil, basic machinery and utensils imports. After five consecutive months of deficits up to February, Indonesia’s trade account reported a surplus of USD $330 million in March, but fell back into deficit in April. From January to April, Indonesia's trade deficit stands at USD $1.85 billion.

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  • Middle of the Road Policy Regarding Indonesia's Palm Oil Industry

    Last week, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono extended the moratorium on new permits to convert natural forests and peat lands for a further two years. In 2011, Indonesia's government signed the two-year primary forest moratorium that came into effect on 20 May 2011 and expired in May 2013. This moratorium implies a temporary stop to the granting of new permits to clear rain forests and peat lands in the country. The moratorium particularly aims to limit Indonesia's quickly expanding palm oil industry.

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  • Import-Export Trade and Investment between USA and Indonesia

    Although the United States continues its traditional focus on direct investments in developed countries, primarily in Western Europe, there has been a significant rise in US investments in Indonesia in recent years. Whereas US investments in the developed economies of Western Europe is mostly found in the financial sector and through holding companies, in developing Asia, the US is more focused on the manufacturing sector due to lower production costs. In the last two years, the US emerged as the second-largest investor in Indonesia after Japan.

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  • Palm Oil Giant Astra Agro Lestari Distributes USD $111 Million in Dividends

    Shareholders of Astra Agro Lestari, Indonesia's largest agribusiness company by value (which is particularly engaged in palm oil and rubber plantations), agreed to distribute IDR 1.08 trillion (USD $111 million) in dividends to its shareholders. The allocated amount is equivalent to about 45 percent of the company's net profit in 2012. Dividend per share is set at IDR 685 (USD $0.071). Last November, the company had already paid interim dividend of IDR 230 per share. Final dividend will be paid on 3 June 2013.

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  • Indonesian Palm Oil Companies Report Declining Net Profit

    Indonesian companies engaged in the production of a variety of agricultural products, such as palm oil, experienced a rather poor year in 2012 regarding net profit. Global economic turmoil has reduced the world's consumption of palm oil in both the developed markets and developing markets. In particular decreased demand from China, the world’s biggest buyer after India, made a negative impact on the balance sheets of Indonesian companies.

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