The Port of Rotterdam has reported a sharp rise in demand for very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSF0) and biofuel bunkers as a result of new global sulphur emission regulations which came into force on 1 January.

A Japanese court has ruled in favour of a US institute’s patent application on the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique, the Nikkei Asian Review reported on 26 February.

Global soyabean hectarage is expected to rise by 4% in 2020/21 mainly due to tentative outlooks for a rebound in plantings of the spring-sown crop in the USA, according to latest projections from the International Grains Council (IGC).

US food and drink giant PepsiCo is introducing stricter rules for the palm oil used in its goods – including a retrospective ban on working with firms with linked to deforestation, Reuters reported on 25 February.

Indonesian farming ministry officials say the country’s palm oil exports to China have declined due to a drop in demand for the vegetable oil as a result of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, Reuters reported on 17 February.

US agribusiness Cargill is launching plant-based hamburger patties and ground ‘meat’ products using soya and pea protein in April, Reuters reported on 27 February.

The market for French fries in China is growing rapidly as a result of a booming fast food industry but foreign providers still face barriers, just-food.com reported on 17 February.

US agribusiness giant Bunge has placed a bid to buy two soya processing plants in Brazil from local soya crusher Imcopa, reinforcing its position as the country’s biggest oilseeds processor, Reuters reported on 18 February.

Leading Asian agribusiness Wilmar saw core net profits jump 120% to US$438.4M for the fourth quarter ended 31 December, World Grain reported on 20 February.

The Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) has warned that the country could lose its corn and rapeseed exports to Europe due to the lack of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reporting by producers.

The Netherlands’ foreign affairs minister Stef Blok said his country supported sustainably produced palm oil and did not back the European Union’s blanket ban on the use of palm oil to produce biofuels, Indonesia’s Tempo newspaper reported on 25 February.

Several NGOs are objecting to France’s return of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) to a list of biofuels benefitting from a tax exemption, Euractiv reported on 24 January.

Indonesia has filed a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the EU, claiming the bloc’s restrictions on palm oil-based biofuel are unfair, the country’s trade ministry said in a statement on 15 December.