Malaysian Palm Oil Exports Performance to Sub-Saharan Africa Region
(January – September 2023)
A Review on MPO Export Performance
North Africa
Malaysian palm oil export to North Africa during Jan – September 2023 increased slightly as compared the volume imported in 2022. The region, recorded almost 4% or 19,911 MT increased during the reviewed period. Increased import by Djibouti, Somalia and Morocco contributed mostly to positive growth.
Table 1: Malaysian Palm Oil Export to North Africa Region (MT)
| COUNTRY | Jan – Sept 2023 | Jan – Sept 2022 | Diff (Vol) | Diff (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 214,788 | 266,669 | (51,881) | -19.46% |
| 2 | Djibouti | 245,710 | 180,735 | 64,975 | 35.95% |
| 3 | Somalia | 58,216 | 45,494 | 12,722 | 27.96% |
| 4 | Algeria | 10,664 | 15,333 | (4,669) | -30.45% |
| 5 | Sudan | 2,228 | 12,015 | (9,787) | -81.46% |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 4,008 | 6,015 | (2,007) | -33.37% |
| 7 | Eritrea | 3,065 | 2,177 | 888 | 40.80% |
| 8 | Morocco | 7,929 | 583 | 7,346 | 1259.80% |
| 9 | Libya | 1,306 | 576 | 730 | 126.74% |
| 10 | South Sudan | 115 | 0 | 115 | |
| 11 | Tunisia | 585 | 106 | 479 | 449.81% |
| 548,614 | 529,703 | 18,911 | 3.57% |
Egypt, the largest Malaysian palm oil importer, recorded 19.46% or 51,881 MT dropped in import of Malaysian palm oil. The decline was contributed by higher sunflower and soybean oil import as the Egyptian market enjoyed competitive prices of both items as against palm olein.
Breakdown of Malaysian Palm Oil Export
RBD PL, Cooking Oil and RBD PO were three major components of Malaysian palm oil imported by the region and these three products accounted for 90% of the total Malaysian palm oil going into the North Africa market.
Despite being the most imported palm oil fraction, RBD Palm Olein has recorded 3.48 dropped. Similar trend was observed in imports of RBD PO, where import went down by 14.19%. Higher imports of soybean and sunflower oil by Egypt has resulted in the reduction of RBD palm olein imports in the North Africa market.
Table 2: Break down of MPO into North Africa Market
| Jan – Sept 2023 | Jan – Sept 2022 | Diff (MT) | Diff (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBD Palm Olein | 222,979 | 231,017 | (8,037) | -3.48% |
| Cooking Oil | 172,302 | 120,498 | 51,804 | 42.99% |
| RBD Palm Oil | 97,217 | 113,291 | (16,074) | -14.19% |
| RBD Palm Stearin | 27,194 | 39,802 | (12,608) | -31.68% |
| Crude Palm Oil | 7,500 | 0 | 7,500 | na |
| RSPO Certified RBD PO & RBD PL | 5,801 | 12,552 | (6,751) | -53.78% |
| Crude Palm Olein | 3,454 | 3,454 | na | |
| Others | 12,167 | 12,543 | (376) | -3.00% |
| 548,615 | 529,703 | 18,912 | 3.57% |
The balance of 10% imported by the region comprised of RBD Palm stearin (5%), CPO (1%), CPL (1%), RSPO Certified palm oil (1%) and others (2%). 7,500 MT of CPO was imported by Morocco and 3,454 MT of CPL was imported by Djibouti during this reviewed period. 1% or 5,801MT of RSPO Certified palm oil imported by the region during Jan – September 2023. However, the volume was 53.78% lower than the previous year.
Figure 1: Breakdown of MPO Exports (Jan – Sept 2023)
Sub-Sahara Africa
Malaysian palm oil exported to Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) markets during January – September 2023 has exceeded 2 million MT marks or 2.2 million MT to be exact. The volume is 32% or 534,704 MT higher than the volume recorded in 2022. Kenya continue to be the leading importer of Malaysian palm oil in SSA, imported 615,944 MT of Malaysian palm oil and the volume accounted for 28% of the total MPO volume exported to the region. The volume was 7.22% higher that the volume recorded in 2022.
Most of other markets have also recorded an outstanding import growth in 2023 with the exception of South Africa and Angola which recorded declines of 4% and 68% respectively. Higher uptake of Malaysian palm oil in some markets were due to higher demand for CPO and CPL.
Table 1: Top Importers of Malaysian Palm Oil in Sub-Saharan Africa (MT)
| COUNTRY | Jan – Sept 2023 | Jan – Sept 2022 | Diff (Vol) | Diff (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenya | 615,944 | 574,490 | 41,454 | 7.22% |
| 2 | Tanzania | 283,888 | 186,203 | 97,685 | 52.46% |
| 3 | Nigeria | 234,324 | 141,786 | 92,538 | 65.27% |
| 4 | Mozambique | 192,668 | 155,714 | 36,955 | 23.73% |
| 5 | Togo | 180,733 | 93,871 | 86,862 | 92.53% |
| 6 | Benin | 126,227 | 68,639 | 57,588 | 83.90% |
| 7 | Senegal | 118,854 | 59,478 | 59,376 | 99.83% |
| 8 | South Africa | 95,519 | 99,943 | (4,424) | -4.43% |
| 9 | Mauritania | 82,340 | 31,399 | 50,941 | 162.23% |
| 10 | Madagascar | 72,516 | 49,958 | 22,558 | 45.15% |
| 11 | Ghana | 54,165 | 40,395 | 13,770 | 34.09% |
| 12 | Cote D’Ivoire | 30,463 | 9,655 | 20,808 | 215.50% |
| 13 | Angola | 30,045 | 94,381 | (64,336) | -68.17% |
| 14 | Congo, Democratic Rep. Of The | 23,935 | 23,009 | 927 | 4.03% |
| 15 | Guinea | 18,485 | 17,258 | 1,228 | 7.11% |
| 16 | Gambia | 15,224 | 9,634 | 5,590 | 58.02% |
| 17 | Cameroon | 10,389 | 5,920 | 4,468 | 75.48% |
| 18 | Liberia | 6,833 | 2,495 | 4,338 | 173.86% |
| 19 | Niger | 4,701 | 3,040 | 1,661 | 54.65% |
| 20 | Mauritius | 2,821 | 1,919 | 903 | 47.06% |
| 22 | Gabon | 2,346 | 671 | 1,675 | 249.52% |
| 23 | Burkina Faso | 1,143 | – | 1,143 | na |
| 24 | Sierra Leone | 1,127 | 992 | 135 | 13.58% |
| Others | 3,901 | 3,039 | 861 | 28.34% | |
| 2,208,593 | 1,673,890 | 534,704 | 31.94% | ||
| Source: MPOB | |||||
Crude palm oil (CPO, crude palm olein (CPL), and cooking oil are the main MPO palm oil products components going into the region. These three, accounted for 84% of the total palm oil imported by the region. CPL is the most imported palm oil component with market share of 42%.
Lower crude oil import tax and the abolishment of import duty on crude products in market such as Tanzania has encouraged more imports of CPO and CPL by the region.
Cooking oil accounted for 529,767MT or 24% of the total palm oil imported by the region. Benin, Togo, Mauritania, Tanzania, Kenya and Senegal were among the major importers of cooking oil in Africa.
Table 2: Breakdown of MPO Exports Products to Sub-Saharan Africa (MT)
| PRODUCT | Jan – Sept 2023 | Jan – Sept 2022 | Diff (MT) | Diff (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Palm Olein | 920,800 | 470,399 | 450,401 | 95.75% |
| Cooking Oil | 529,767 | 361,177 | 168,590 | 46.68% |
| Crude Palm Oil | 400,627 | 411,170 | (10,542) | -2.56% |
| RBD Palm Olein | 147,288 | 228,770 | (81,483) | -35.62% |
| PFAD | 85,792 | 84,302 | 1,490 | 1.77% |
| RBD Palm Stearin | 71,220 | 68,683 | 2,537 | 3.69% |
| RBD Palm Oil | 43,822 | 39,127 | 4,695 | 12.00% |
| RSPO CERTIFIED RBD PO and RBD PL | 3,917 | 3,993 | (76) | -1.90% |
| Others | 5,361 | 6,271 | (910) | -14.51% |
| 2,208,593 | 1,673,890 | 534,703 | 31.94% | |
| Source: MPOB | ||||
For more info please contact Mrs. Fatimah
Email : fatimah@mpoc.org.my
[1] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-russia-affordable-cooking-oil-market-prices-soar
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