the catalyst is JPM's downgrade...
they downgraded because they took a negative view on the sector and negative view on CPO prices.
Zero duty exports for Malaysian palm oil
According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, inventories rose 2.4% in December and the price of Palm fell 23% for the year. The decline in prices was attributed to both the increased reserves as well as the global slowdown in China and Europe which hurt demand.
In a bid to reduce inventories, Malaysia removed taxes on exports of crude palm oil (CPO) for the month of January. On Tuesday, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok mentioned that the country will allow exports at zero duty for another month in February. He said that stockpiles should start to decline and a level below two million tonnes will be “quite comfortable”.
Indonesia unfazed by zero export tax
Indonesia, the largest supplier of palm oil announced that it will not be influenced by Malaysia’s decision and will not change its export tax structure for CPO. Indonesian Palm Oil Association had requested for a reduction in exports so as to remain competitive but trade minister Gita Wirjawan declined.
He said that “although the Malaysian government has lowered its CPO export tax to zero percent, we will not… We have set up a progressive palm oil export structure in line with the country’s policy to boost the palm oil downstream industry” (BT Premium)
China & India announces tighter regulations on imports
China, the largest consumer of edible oil imposed more stringent inspections on imports of cooking oil so as to improve food safety. According to the median of estimates form the Bloomberg survey, imports of palm by China may drop to 300,000 tones in January, less than half of those in December because of the new measures.
In addition, government officials from India, the second largest consumer imposed a levy of 2.5% on imported crude edible oils, including crude palm oil. Import duty on refined oils was left unchanged at 7.5%. The change in import taxes is aimed to help the domestic palm oil industry.
With Malaysia setting its tariff at zero, China imposing more rigid rules on imports and India introducing a levy on imports, palm oil inventories in Indonesia could potentially rise to almost 90% of capacity based on the median of estimates from two plantation companies, a refiner and an analyst complied by Bloomberg.