SEA demands hike in import duty on crude, refined edible oils

To protect farmers' interests and provide a level-playing field to domestic oilseed processors, industry body SEA today sought increase in import duty on crude edible oil from 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent and on refined oil from 15 per cent to 45 per cent.
The import duties were last increased in December.
In a memorandum submitted to the government today, Solvent Extractor's Association (SEA) said, "We would like to bring to your kind notice the alarming increase in import of edible oils seriously hurting the domestic farmers and the vegetable oil refiners."
The increase in duties will protect the interest of crushers and also local farmers to sustain their interest in oilseed cultivation, the industry body said in a statement.

"The industry requested for increase in import duty on crude edible oils from 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent and that of refined oil for 15 per cent to 45 per cent," it added.
According to the SEA data, the imports of edible oils has reached a record level of over 10 million tonnes in the first nine months of the current oil year ending October 2015, as against 8 million tonnes in the year-ago period.

Total imports are expected to touch 14 million tonnes valued at Rs 65,000 crore in the entire 2014-15 oil year against last year's import of 11.8 million tonnes, it added.

About 60 per cent of India's annual edible oil demand of 18-19 million tonnes is met through import, mostly from Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to the government's data, farmers have sown oilseeds in 163.79 lakh hectare till August 14 during the current kharif season that started from June, as against 160.83 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.