Pakistan buys less palm oil in June -trader: Reuters

ISLAMABAD, July 9 (Reuters) - Pakistan's June palm oil imports slid below 100,000 tonnes on a lack of demand and an uncertain international market, but buying has picked up in July, an industry official said on Thursday.

Demand had been been in a lull for the past three months, particularly in the northwest, where troops were battling Taliban militants, Rasheed Janmohammad, vice-chairman of the Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners' Association, said.

In addition, low intake in rural areas during the wheat harvesting season and a lack of confidence in the global market accounted for the slower buying, he said.

"There has been less buying of palm oil crude, RBD palm oil and palm olein...it was less than 100,000 tonnes (in June)."

Pakistan's palm oil imports fell 15.49 percent to 126,951 tonnes in May from the same month in 2008, and were 25 percent lower than April, official data showed.

Pakistan, the world's fourth-largest importer of vegetable oil, buys a mix of refined and crude palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, the world's biggest producers.

It consumes about 3 million tonnes of edible oil a year, but produces only 500,000-800,000 tonnes of cottonseed, rapeseed and sunflower, relying on imports to meet about 80 percent of demand.

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Pakistan palm imports fall 20 pct in Apr-May -trader: Reuters

By Augustine Anthony

ISLAMABAD, May 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan's imports of palm oil products fell up to 20 percent in April and May on good stocks and easing demand but will pick up next month and in the run-up to the Muslim fasting month, an industry official said on Wednesday.

Carryover stock from over-buying in the January-March quarter, low intake in rural areas during the wheat harvesting season, and cheap supplies of canola oil squeezed demand for palm oil, said Rasheed Janmohammad, vice-chairman of the Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association.

"Because of this, there was between a 15 and 20 percent reduction in the import of palm oil, palm olien and crude palm oil in April and May," Janmohammad told Reuters.

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Pakistan Reduces tariffs on Palm Oil import from Malaysia: Online News

ISLAMABAD: Under Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA) signed between Pakistan and Malaysia in November, 2007, Pakistan has reduced the tariffs on seven (7) palm products by 10% Margin of Preference (MoP) with effect from on January 1, 2008, giving a further boost to Palm oil import by Pakistan which is expected to increase by 33% higher in the year 2008 compared 2007.

According to the Commercial Counselor of High Commission for Pakistan in Malaysia, Mr. Majid Qureshi, the tariff will further be reduced by 5% MoP, starting from January 1, 2010, making Malaysia as the first choice for Pakistan to import Palm oil and its products compare to its closest competitors. . The palm oil export to Pakistan by Malaysia has registered 10.4% increase in the year 2007 compared to 2006. In 2007, total export to Pakistan was 10,70,067 tones compared to the year 2006 at 9,68,406 tones.

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