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SAF needs nuanced crop feedstocks policy: Panel
SAF needs nuanced crop feedstocks policy: Panel
London, 25 September (Argus) — Fuel producers and crop suppliers increasingly support the careful use of intermediate crops for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aiming to ease feedstock shortage concerns, attendees heard at the SAF Global Summit in London this week. Policymakers are wary of increasing use of crops in biofuels because of food scarcity and previous deforestation scandals. But delegates said Europe urgently needs more feedstocks to curb costs, and that nuanced policy can address these concerns. Farmers grow intermediates crops between rotations to regenerate soil. German life sciences firm Bayer said they could grow oilseeds like camelina, winter canola or pennycress. Farmers already monitor vast field-level data that could enable certification, Bayer's biofuels lead Peter Muller said. Current policy oversimplifies the issue, favouring binary choices of "crop bad, used cooking oil (UCO) good, electricity good", said BP's vice president of regulatory affairs, bioenergy, Eirik Pitkethly. "There's a whole layer of nuance we need to get into," he said. Using a fraction of intermediate crops that EU farmers already grow and do not harvest could yield 2.5mn t of SAF, enough to meet the EU's 2030 SAF mandate, Pitkethly said. "The scale is massive," he said. "It's too good to ignore. But it's difficult and there are challenges in getting the rules right." Lax regulations in the early days of the biofuels industry led to "deforestation in carbon-sensitive environments" and created "more emissions than using fossil fuels," which still makes policymakers hesitant, Pitkethly said. Pragmatic policy would find a "sweet spot", avoiding overburdening farmers while setting enough protections, such as requiring multi-year data to prove no land use change. Policymakers could block carbon-sensitive geographies from supplying feedstock if necessary, he said. The EU appears closer than the UK to opening the door to intermediate crops, Pitkethly said. Cover crops are allowed under EU rules, but details are lacking on which crops qualify and what evidence producers must provide on sustainability. Pitkethly said none of the European Commission's several drafts have provided the clarity needed. Other panellists said companies should be allowed to grow crops for SAF in desert regions, where there would be no competition with food. Egypt could make SAF with its non-edible desert crop jojoba, said grower Saraya's chief operations officer, Middle East, Omar El Mougy. Keeping costs down Narrowing the feedstock pool for hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA), the most established and cheapest route for making SAF, forces aviation to rely on larger amounts of more expensive SAF types instead, Pitkethly said. Replacing fossil jet fuel with SAF may need in the region of 400mn t/yr of SAF, but using only waste oils may reach a ceiling of 40mn t/yr because of global constraints on the main UCO feedstock, he said. The shortfall could be filled with novel SAF types like alcohol-to-jet or synthetic SAF from electrolytic hydrogen and carbon (e-SAF). These are more costly than HEFA, and it would be far more economical to maximise the HEFA feedstock pool as far as possible first, Pitkethly said. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mexico central bank holds rate, cites inflation risks
Mexico central bank holds rate, cites inflation risks
Mexico City, 24 September (Argus) — Mexico's central bank (Banxico) on Thursday held its target interest rate at 6.5pc, its lowest level in more than four years, and signaled support for keeping rates unchanged even while noting that the balance of inflation risks remained to the upside on war risks and US economic policy. The unanimous decision to hold rates unchanged was the third since Banxico cut rates to 6.5pc on 7 May. The bank reduced the benchmark rate 450 basis points over 18 half- and quarter- point rate cuts made from a cyclical high of 11.25pc in March 2024. Banxico, after the decision, said the balance of risks to inflation remains biased to the upside, and raised the conflict in the Middle East, adding, "economic policy by the US administration and a possible extension of geopolitical conflicts continue adding uncertainty to the forecasts." The bank added slack conditions are "expected to continue throughout the forecast horizon and downward risks to economic activity persist." The announced included a statement responding to the Federal Reserve's recent quarter-point rate hike on its benchmark to 3.75-4pc and market expectations another hike may be coming, stating, "Since macroeconomic conditions in Mexico are different from those in the United States, monetary policy should not have to react mechanically to the anticipated adjustments to the federal funds rate." The central bank made one noteworthy change in Thursday's rate announcement, changing the wording to say the board will "make its decisions considering the ongoing disinflation process and the expected behavior of its determinants" in place of "the governing board believes it will be appropriate to maintain the reference rate at its current level." Noting the shift in language, Juan Sebastián Restrepo of Mexican asset manager Skandia said, "While the scope for further cuts has narrowed in the current context, the statement does not suggest that Banxico is preparing for a rate-hiking cycle" Banxico noted headline inflation sped to 3.42pc in mid-September from 3.1pc mid-July, with stability in core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices. The announcement also cited the potential for climate-related impacts with US weather agency NOAA latest forecast giving a 75pc probability that the El Nino climate event, peaking between October and December, would become the most intense since 1950. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Zimbabwe secures funds for key commodity gateway
Zimbabwe secures funds for key commodity gateway
London, 23 September (Argus) — The Zimbabwe transport and infrastructural development ministry and the Chirundu Border Consortium (CBC) have reached financial close on the upgrade of a key commodity transit route on the border with Zambia. The establishing of financing arrangements by the ministry and private-sector firms in the CBC to develop the Chirundu Border Post will pave the way for construction work on a key transit route for copper, cobalt, fertilizers and mining supplies moving between central and southern Africa, the partners said this week. The Chirundu crossing is a critical link on the North-South Corridor, connecting the Zambia-Democratic Republic of Congo Copperbelt with ports in South Africa and Mozambique. The route is widely used to export copper and cobalt concentrates and refined metal, as well as imports of mining equipment, reagents, fuel, sulphur and fertilizers. The upgrade intends to reduce congestion and transit delays at one of the region's busiest border crossings by replacing ageing infrastructure and introducing new processing and operational systems. Frequent traffic problems such as border queues and bottlenecks have increased logistics costs and delivery times for commodities moving through the corridor. The project will improve freight flows, strengthen regional trade connectivity and enhance the efficiency of cargo movements between southern African ports and inland markets, Zimbabwe's transport and infrastructural development ministry said. The ministry did not disclose the final value of the financing package. Zimbabwe's cabinet previously estimated the project would require investment of around $66.8mn and would operate under a 20-year concession arrangement with private investors. The project is currently led by Safaga International, which was also involved in the modernisation of the Beitbridge border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa, alongside investors including South Africa-based Strategic Partners Group. Standard Bank of South Africa and Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe are among the financial institutions backing the development. By Lauren Hadeed and Fenella Rhodes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s beef production to cross 3mn t in 2026: MLA
Australia’s beef production to cross 3mn t in 2026: MLA
Sydney, 22 September (Argus) — Australia's annual beef production is expected to exceed 3mn t in carcase weight terms in 2026 — a new annual record — due to higher slaughter numbers and historically high throughput at the nation's feedlots. Improved seasonal conditions, productivity gains and a slower-than-expected reduction in the national herd, which stands at 30.8mn head, are supporting higher output, industry development body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said on 22 September. Turnoff from feedlots, which raise beef production volumes due to higher-nutrient grain feeding, exceeded 4mn head in the year to 30 June, MLA said. Average carcase weights are expected to reach 313kg and rise further in coming years as slaughter shifts towards heavier steers and bullocks, as grain-fed beef output grows. Beef exports will reach 2.4mn t in 2026, as global demand rises due to tight supply in key producing countries. Slaughter numbers are expected to reach 9.6mn head in 2026, up by 300,000 head from a year earlier, a figure which previously would have signalled a sharper contraction in the national herd, MLA said. But a more productive herd with better fertility rates, faster turnoff and favourable weather, has enabled the industry to sustain turn-off rates alongside a higher breeding base. Slaughter rates are expected to ease to 9.2mn head in 2027 and 8.8mn head in 2028, MLA said. But beef output will remain above 2025 levels of 2.87mn t due to rising carcase weights, MLA said, despite a smaller herd and lower slaughter numbers. Australia's beef production rose to 770,722t on a trend basis in April-June , up by 10pc on the year and 2.3pc on the quarter. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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