Malaysia maintains CPO export tax at 8% for April 2021

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is maintaining the export tax for crude palm oil (CPO) at eight per cent for April 2021.

In a circular posted on the Malaysia Palm Oil Board's website, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department said the eight per cent export duty rate was set after the CPO market price surpassed RM3,450 per tonne.

Malaysia, which is the world's second largest palm oil producer and exporter, calculated a reference price of RM4,331.48 per tonne for April.

The export tax structure starts at three per cent for CPO in a RM2,250 to RM2,400 per tonne range. The maximum tax rate is set at eight per cent when prices exceed RM3,450 ringgit per tonne.

The rate would be effective from April 1 to 30, 2021, which is a continuation of the export tax rate since January 2021.

From June to December 2020, the export tax was set at zero to help raise the value of Malaysian palm exports to other countries, mainly India. The export duty exemption was also meant to help support the commodity industry as part of overall efforts to stimulate the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the close on Tuesday, the CPO futures contract for April 2021 decreased RM81 to RM4,170 per tonne, May 2021 eased RM129 to RM4,009 per tonne, June 2021 declined RM123 to RM3,897 per tonne, and July 2021 dipped RM116 to RM3,790 per tonne.

The CPO futures contract finished lower driven by higher production, based on data by the Southern Peninsula Palm Oil Millers' Association.

On Monday, however, the commodity’s price peaked at RM4,247.50 per tonne, which was an all-time high in the country's palm oil industry history. - Bernama