The Philippines is likely to delay its scheduled increase of coconut‑based biodiesel in diesel fuel from 2 percent to 4 percent this October, citing soaring international coconut‑oil prices nearing US $3,000 per metric ton. The National Biofuels Board, under the Department of Energy, has recommended postponing both the B4 increase and the subsequent B5 expansion planned for October 2026.
Coconut‑oil surges, triggered partly by shifts in European palm‑oil policies, have prompted concerns about higher pump prices. While officials assure that boosting CME blend remains part of the strategy to support local coconut agriculture, they say the move must align with stable supply and manageable market pricing.
Local producers and farmer groups expressed mixed reactions: some support delay to avoid inflation, while others warn of lost income opportunities for coconut growers in the absence of mandated demand.
Source: OFI Magazine https://www.ofimagazine.com/news/philippine-government-may-suspend-biodiesel-blend-increase