SOMA (Saurashtra Oil Mills Association) in a representation to the PM and Union Ministry Of Agriculture recently said that as edible oils fall under the free license category, imports of edible oils are much higher than their actual shortfall.
It says that in a wake of unprecedented sowing of groundnut and other edible oil-seeds, the top trade body of edible oil industry in Gujarat, Saurashtra Oil Mills Association (SOMA), has demanded to restrict the import of edible oils to protect the interest of oilseed growers as well as the domestic edible oil industry within the country. This aims to help the domestic farmers as well as manufacturing industries on edible oil by providing them with adequate care, help, and assistance and also to improve their overall growth in the market.
The statics shows that our country is facing a shortage of edible oils. Hence, India is importing nearly 65% of edible oil requirements from other countries.
But the main irony is against the requirement of 120 lakh tons of edible oils, we are importing on an average of 150 lakh tons. This tries to explain the fact that our country is producing more still what is the need to import edible oils from other countries. Due to excess import farmers and domestic edible oil industries are being suffered. The report conveys the fact that for the last five to six years SOMA is demanding to cut short or restrict the excess import of edible oils in the interest of farmers and domestic industry
“Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut in India. Groundnut and its oil are very rich in its nutrition value. Its use will not only make people healthier but also equip them to fight against diseases including that of Covid-19,” he said adding that due to good monsoon Kharif sowing of groundnuts, soybean, sunflower, and other oil-seeds have increased considerably. It means in the coming months, there would be large scale availability of domestic edible oils, thus it indicates a high-level availability of edible oils within the market with much dependable quality.
However, it is shocking and ironic that during July 2020 India imported 15.29 lakh tons of edible oils which are 41 percent higher than that in the previous month, says Shah. Due to this act without any consideration towards our farmers, it is going to impact the market like not getting good or reasonable prices for their commodity as the price of groundnut in the domestic market has gone down to Rs 5,300 per quintal to Rs 6,200 per quintal.
According to SOMA, putting quantitative restrictions on the import of edible oils is the best remedy to solve this situation and to protect the inland farmer’s interests as well as the domestic edible oil industry and to help them to boost up their productivity.
