August 1999
Asia along with the archipelago nations off the coast of
Southeast Asia will produce an estimated 110 million tons of
oilseeds plus palm oil in 1999/00 out of 301 million produced
world-wide. Asia and Oceania do not produce vegetable oil crops
at a level commensurate with their population, but do produce at
a level comparable to their percentage of gross world product.
Oilseed plus palm oil output in Asia and Oceania is forecast to
be at a record in 1999/00, in line with trend and up because of
generally favorable weather thus far during the year; and output
is forecast to be up 43 percent over the last 10 years. Peanuts,
soybeans, and cottonseed are the largest oilseed crops in Asia
and Oceania, but palm oil output has increased dramatically over
the last decade, almost reaching the level of cottonseed for
which output is up only a small amount.