India's addiction to expensive cooking oil imports seen lasting for 15 yrs

Indians will probably buy expensive cooking oils from overseas for at least another 15 years, as demand continues to far outpace domestic production.

Consumption is expected to climb in India by as much as 17% over the next four years, according to B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors’ Association. A rise that steep would further widen the manufacturing gap: India will likely produce about 10 million tons of edible oils in 2021-22, compared with local consumption of as much as 23 million tons.

India, one of the world’s largest buyers of vegetable oils, has struggled to wean itself