Palm oil exports from South and Central America have fallen sharply as trees in several countries suffer the delayed impact of drought, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said on Tuesday. The region's January/September 2010 palm oil exports fell to 530,000 tonnes from 658,000 in the same time in 2009, it said. July/September 2010 exports alone dropped to 178,000 tonnes from 251,000 tonnes a year previously.
Increased use of palm oil for domestic biodiesel production also cut exports in some countries including in Colombia. Colombia, which is also suffered from crop disease, became a net palm oil importer in July/September 2010 with its exports falling to only 13,000 tonnes from 53,000 tonnes in the same time last year, it said.