SEA requests govt to clear shipments held up at ports due to customs issues

Edible oils body SEA on Wednesday said crude sunflower and soyabean oil shipments are held up at ports due to customs clearances issues and requested the government to address the matter immediately, else it may lead to shortages and rise in retail prices.

The government had permitted tariff rate quota (TRQ) during the 2022-23 financial year for import of crude sunflower and soyabean oil at nil duty and the shipments were allowed for clearance till June 20, 2023, provided the 'bill of lading date' was March 31, it said.

"Unfortunately, the Customs is insisting for 'Bill of Entry' and not accepting 'Bill of Lading date', hence shipments are held up since 1st April 2023," Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) President Ajay Jhunjhunwala said, and cautioned that this "may also lead to shortage and also rise in the price of edible oils."

The Association has strongly taken up the issue with the food and commerce ministries and requested them to allow the shipments of these two edible oils based on the 'bill of lading date' as notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), he said.

"We are expecting that the matter will be resolved shortly," Jhunjhunwala said in a letter to SEA members.

India meets about 56 per cent of its annual edible oil consumption via imports with annual inbound shipments of around 13-14 million tonnes.