Thailand to import 40,000 tons of semi-purified palm oil

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) - Thailand will import 40,000 tons of semi-purified palm oil to meet domestic demand, in line with a recent Cabinet approval. Watcharee Wimuktayon, Director-General of the Thai Ministry of Commerce's Department of Internal Trade, said that the move was a resolution of a government-run palm oil import sub-committee at its meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday, and that the imported produce will then be processed into bottled-cooking palm oil for local consumers. Watcharee acknowledged this year's summer warm weather would likely limit palm-nut yields this month and next month, leading to a shortage of domestic supply for both people's consumption and the production of renewable energy. According to the senior official, her ministry's Public Warehouse Organization will implement the semi-purified palm oil imports, with the first 10,000-ton lot set to reach Thailand early next month and the rest 30,000 tons to be gradually ordered thereafter. The senior official confirmed that there will be no shortage of palm oil in Thailand this year, noting that the retail price of the imported palm oil will be limited at 42 baht per bottle, and that the imported 10,000-ton semi-purified palm oil will be processed into 6-7 million bottles of cooking oil to serve the domestic market. (TNA)