Palm Oil Strength Stretches to Third Day
2026-04-22 04:44
By
Farida Husna
1 min. read
Malaysian palm oil futures extended gains for a third straight session, holding near MYR 4,600 per tonne, lifted by a softer ringgit and firmer edible oil prices in Dalian and Chicago markets.
On the demand side, purchases from top buyer India may rebound after March shipments fell 19% mom, suggesting restocking ahead.
Meanwhile, Malaysia is advancing toward a B15 biodiesel mandate from the current B10, with an interim target of B12.
The move is expected to absorb 1–1-1/2 million tonnes of palm oil annually, tightening exportable supply, as Kuala Lumpur follows Jakarta in expanding blending mandates to reduce imported fuel dependence.
However, the upside was capped by weak export estimates, with cargo surveyors reporting April 1–20 shipments down about 25.6%–25.8% from March, partly due to the absence of festive demand.
Turning to China, another main consumer, authorities signaled imports of key commodities, particularly soybeans, could decline this year, weighing on edible oil demand.