Malaysia's palm oil output is expected to fall by about 8 percent to around 1.21 million tonnes in January from a month ago, a Reuters poll of leading plantation firms showed on Monday. Production in December officially stood at 1,313,679 tonnes. Analysts from five main plantation firms estimated production for January to range from 1.18 million to 1.24 million tonnes, with an average of 1.21 million.
"Production will easily be about 8 percent lower from December as January marks the real start of a lower cycle for the palm crop in Malaysia," said an analyst at a state-owned plantation group.
The average estimate for January exports was 1.08 million tonnes, down 4 percent from December's 1,124,726 tonnes.
End of January stocks were estimated at an average of 1,467,387 tonnes compared with 1,487,387 tonnes at end-December.
The official Malaysian Palm Oil Board will issue January production, exports and closing stock data on February 10.