Govt should cap import of refined palm oil, palmolein: SEA

15 Jan 2020 Evaluate

In order to protect local refiners and oilseed growers, edible oil industry body, the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) has said that the government should cap import of refined palm oil and palmolein at a maximum of 50,000 tonnes per month. The SEA also asked the government to restrict issue of licence for import of palm oil and refined palm oil.

Earlier, the government had imposed restrictions on imports of refined palm oil and palmolein in the backdrop of remarks by Malaysia, a major supplier, on the new citizenship law and Kashmir issue. SEA President Atul Chaturvedi said ‘We understand from media reports that the government may issue licenses for allowing import of refined palm oils to the state agencies for distribution under the PDS and also to private organisations’.

SEA President added that ‘We fear this has potential of opening the floodgates of refined palm oil and palmolein into India if a proper check is not put on the same’. He said the government's objective of putting import of refined palm oil and palmolein in ‘restricted’ category would be defeated, which has the potential of destroying local refiners and oilseeds growers.

In order to avoid this scenario, he said the government should cap import of these commodities at a maximum of 50,000 tonnes per month and issue licenses proportionately in different zones to check dumping in one area. India buys nearly 15 million tonnes annually. Of this, palm oil comprises 9 million tonnes and the rest 6 million tonnes is soybean and sunflower oil.

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