06.11.2007

General Prices of vegetable oils are still increasing. The markets are very tight. Due to the following facts it is not expected that prices will come down in the nearer to medium term. a) Prices for mineral oil reached record levels during last week. The weak Dollar and the very low stocks in the USA brought up the prices to nearly 96 US-$/Barrel. The weakness of the US-$ increases the prices of all commodities which are traded in this currency. b) As showed in the last report tightness of oilseeds will be much higher than anticipated. Usage is increasing but production of oilseed is decreasing. As a result, stocks will fall during the actual crop year. c) As prices of wheat reached also record levels, and stocks of wheat reached record lows, worldwide acreages are used for wheat. d) Export Tax uncertainties or export restrictions in exporting countries cause still nervousness both at sellers and buyers. e) Many countries reduce import taxes to fight against the inflation in the country f) China and India are absorbing still higher quantities of oils and oilseeds. g) The crises in the financial markets make investments in agricultural commodities attractive as these commodities are regarded to be saver. Palm Oil The tightness in oilseeds and oils keep also palmoil prices at a very high level. Export taxes in Indonesia on the one side and rumours that China and India will reduce import taxes, keep the demand for palm oil. Coconut Oil and Palmkernel Oil Driven by boosting soyoil, palmoil markets also the market for coconut- and palmkernel oil increase steadily. Very low stocks and the very slow production increase keep the prices firm. Short covering and the fact that consumers are not fully covered for 2008 lead to increasing prices. Rapeseed Oil Still very high prices for sun oil and its premium over rape oil keep the prices for rape oil at record highs. Also increasing mineral oil prices make rape oil competitive as fuel oil. The demand from the bio diesel industry is still existent. And rumours that many bio diesel producers are not covered keep the prices high. In addition to this conditions of growing in Europe for rapeseed are not satisfactory. Prices are also high due to still very high prices for rapeseed. Futures for rapeseed at the EuroNext have also reached record levels. The tightness in rapeseed supplies is also existent as demand has more risen than the increase in production. Sun Oil Demand for sunoil remain very high. Some countries have already reduced import taxes on vegetable oils (Russia, Turkey). Supplies for sunoil remain very tight. Stocks are also very low. This situation keep the prices high. .