Rajasthan
Mustard Farmers’ Body Calls For Hike In Import Duty On Palm Oil | Jaipur News
Jaipur: Mustard oil industry is demanding import duty hike on edible oil so that the farmers get the right price for their produce, which will encourage them to increase acreage and the country’s dependence on imports will be reduced.
Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar by Mustard Oil Producers Association of India, Babu Lal Data, president of the body told TOI that one hand the Centre increases the minimum support price, and on the other it does not curb the import cheaper palm oil.
“The government has increased MSP to Rs 5,450 which translated to around Rs 125 a kg for the consumers. But it only procures 10-15 lakh tonnes, and the rest of the around 90,000-1 lakh tonne is dependent on market price. If the imported palm oil is available at Rs 85-90, people will be unwilling to buy mustard oil,” said Data.
As a consequence, Data said, the rest of the farmers will be discouraged to take up mustard cultivation as their produce does not get the same rate as MSP. “If they sell their produce below MSP in the open market, they will feel cheated and divert to other crops, creating further shortage. That’s why, in the current situation, given the rate differences, government should hike import duty on imports by at least 20-25%,” Data explained.
Mustard oil is far superior to palm oil. Data said by encouraging import of palm oil, the government is depriving people of quality mustard oil, which unlike palm, has close to a dozen health benefits.
As on March 1, the country already has a surplus of 10 lakh tonnes of mustard and around 1.5 million soya. “The glut is because of the rate difference, and it is certainly not heling the producers. This year, it is expected that the mustard production volume to be around 1.10-1.15 lakh tonnes. If the situation does not change and cheaper imports continue to flood the market, the surplus could go up to 40,000 lakh tonnes. This will in no way benefit the farmers,” added Data.
With regard to GM mustard, whose introduction has been stayed by the Supreme Court, Data said anything with risks to health and environment should be disallowed. “Anything that has possibilities of having cancer, allergy, building of resistance for anti-biotic, no nutrition, we cannot allow them to be consumed. Centre for Food Safety Organisation has raised these serious issues. They have opposed and we are also opposing GM mustard,” added Data.
Rajasthan accounts for about 50% of the mustard production in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar by Mustard Oil Producers Association of India, Babu Lal Data, president of the body told TOI that one hand the Centre increases the minimum support price, and on the other it does not curb the import cheaper palm oil.
“The government has increased MSP to Rs 5,450 which translated to around Rs 125 a kg for the consumers. But it only procures 10-15 lakh tonnes, and the rest of the around 90,000-1 lakh tonne is dependent on market price. If the imported palm oil is available at Rs 85-90, people will be unwilling to buy mustard oil,” said Data.
As a consequence, Data said, the rest of the farmers will be discouraged to take up mustard cultivation as their produce does not get the same rate as MSP. “If they sell their produce below MSP in the open market, they will feel cheated and divert to other crops, creating further shortage. That’s why, in the current situation, given the rate differences, government should hike import duty on imports by at least 20-25%,” Data explained.
Mustard oil is far superior to palm oil. Data said by encouraging import of palm oil, the government is depriving people of quality mustard oil, which unlike palm, has close to a dozen health benefits.
As on March 1, the country already has a surplus of 10 lakh tonnes of mustard and around 1.5 million soya. “The glut is because of the rate difference, and it is certainly not heling the producers. This year, it is expected that the mustard production volume to be around 1.10-1.15 lakh tonnes. If the situation does not change and cheaper imports continue to flood the market, the surplus could go up to 40,000 lakh tonnes. This will in no way benefit the farmers,” added Data.
With regard to GM mustard, whose introduction has been stayed by the Supreme Court, Data said anything with risks to health and environment should be disallowed. “Anything that has possibilities of having cancer, allergy, building of resistance for anti-biotic, no nutrition, we cannot allow them to be consumed. Centre for Food Safety Organisation has raised these serious issues. They have opposed and we are also opposing GM mustard,” added Data.
Rajasthan accounts for about 50% of the mustard production in the country.
