Palm oil (CPO) prices continued to decline in July, in line with China's economic slowdown and India's planned reduction in CPO imports.
Based on World Bank data, CPO prices fell 0.6% to US$1,056.64 per ton in July from the previous year. This is the first annual contraction since September 2019.
Although still higher than usual, CPO prices are facing downward pressure amid China's economic slowdown, as it is one of the largest importers of this vegetable oil.
India, the largest importer, is adding to that pressure with its plans to reduce CPO imports. The South Asian country's government plans to open up more land for palm oil plantations.
Fitch Ratings, a credit rating agency, projects that CPO prices will fall further this year. The financial firm considers the potential for increased production from Indonesia behind its projection.