Canola production in Australia is expected to rebound in 2020-21 after several years of below average output due to drought, according to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on 6 April.

Plans to step up the use of 20% palm oil in biodiesel in Malaysia have been delayed due to curbs on movement imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Today reported on 16 April.

China’s state-owned grain stockpiler Sinograin has released 500,000 tonnes of national soyabean reserves to COFCO amid low stock levels and weak imports in March, trade sources told Agricensus on 7 April.

Biodiesel consumption in the EU could fall by 2M tonnes this year as drivers stay home due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions, FO Licht said in a 3 April report.

Turkey’s palm oil imports this year will drop by around 10% to around 690,000M tonnes due to weaker demand from the hotel, retail and catering (HoReCa) sector, according to forecasts by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

Transport restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus had caused serious disruption to the flow of trade, according to a report by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

European glycerine spot prices have tripled amid fears that upstream biodiesel production will fall further due to coronavirus movement restrictions, the Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS) reported on 3 April.

Indonesia is delaying implementation of its 40% biodiesel blending (B40) programme because of the coronavirus pandemic, Argus Media reported on 3 April.

China will allow some Canadian canola seed imports to continue despite its year-long trade dispute with the country provided the amount of foreign material in shipments is limited, Reuters reported on 31 March.

Omega-3 businesses have been warned about making immunity claims during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, nutraingredients.com reported on 24 March.

The troubled US corn ethanol industry is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to relax regulations so that the millions of gallons of alcohol it produces can be used for hand sanitisers needed to fight coronavirus (COVID-19).

Palm oil operations in six districts of Sabah ­– Malaysia’s largest palm producing state – will remain closed as part of coronavirus containment measures, Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal said on 8 April.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has been asked to review allegations that Singapore-listed Golden Agri-Resources paid bribes to cover up the improper use of protected forest in Indonesia, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.