New Delhi: The government has reduced the import duty on refined soybean and sunflower oils to 12.5 percent from 17.5 percent with effect from Thursday to boost domestic availability and check prices, a finance ministry notification said. Usually, India imports 'crude' soybean and sunflower oils and not their 'refined' form. Yet, the government has reduced the duty on refined soybean and sunflower oils. With this reduction, the effective duty on refined edible oils stands at 13.7 percent, including cess on social welfare. The effective duty on all major crude edible oils is 5.5 percent.
Commenting on this, Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) Executive Director B V Mehta said that the move may have some temporary impact on market sentiments but is unlikely to attract imports. "Basically, the government wants to keep the prices of edible oils under check. Even with less duty difference between crude and refined soya and sunflower oils, chances of shipment of refined soya and sunflower oil may not be commercially viable but have some temporary sentiment impact on the market," Mehta said in a statement.
Currently, there are no imports of refined soybean and sunflower oils.
According to SEA, the delayed onset of monsoon in Kerala by a week led to a delay in sowing. "The Met Department has forecast near normal monsoon, however, El Nino is not ruled out completely and may spoil the chances of normal monsoon, which may impact kharif crop and domestic availability of vegetable oils in next oil year 2023-24," Mehta added. India relies on imports to fulfill its demand-supply gap in edible oils. It meets nearly 60 percent of edible oil demand through imports.
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