European Union soyaoil imports are rising sharply largely because of biodiesel demand and South American suppliers are the main winners, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said.
"Total EU soyaoil imports from third countries are likely to reach around 650,000 tonnes in October 2005/September 2006, more than three times the 191,000 tonnes imported last season," it said.
It added: "We now estimate soyaoil imports from third countries at 210,000 tonnes in April/June 2006 of which 78,000 tonnes were from Argentine and 130,000 from Brazil."
"We expect some slowing down of total imports from third countries to 166,000 tonnes in July/September, but this would again be up sharply from proceeding years."
Main importers will be Italy, France and Germany. "Most of the boost in soyaoil imports is absorbed by the biodiesel industry which has raised the share of soyaoil as a feedstock since April or May 2006," it said. But the EU food industry was also importing some more non-GMO soyaoil from South America, it said.