India 2018

282 India 2018
tonnes during the previous year. Production of oils from these oilseeds in
2016-17 is likely to be about 74.09 lakh tonnes.
Vegetable Oil Industry
There are about 100 Vanaspati units and 505 solvent extraction plants/
refineries in the country with an annual capacity to process around 6800
lakh MT of raw material. Due to various reasons, mainly the seasonal
availability of raw material, the total capacity utilization of the edible oil
industry is around 35 per cent as per estimates given by the Solvent
Extractors Association of India.
Ban on Export of Edible Oils
Exports of edible oils has been banned from March 2008 with certain
exemptions i.e., coconut oil from all Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) ports
and through notified Land Customs Stations (LCS), castor oil, organic edible
oils and certain oils produced from minor forest produce. Further, export of
edible oil has been permitted in branded consumer packs of upto 5 kg
subject to Minimum Export Price of USD 900 per tonnes which was reduced
from USD 1100 per tonnes in 2015. Export of rice bran oil in bulk has been
allowed from 2015. From 2017, groundnut oil, sesame oil, soyabean oil and
maize (corn oil) have been exempted from the ban.
Import Duty on Edible Oils
As there is a continuous demand in excess over the domestic supply of
edible oils, its import has been resorted to for more than two decades. In
order to maintain uninterrupted supply of edible oils at affordable prices to
the consumers and at the same time keeping in mind the interest of the
farmers, industry as well as consumers, import duty on crude and refined
palm oils was reduced to 7.5 and 15 per cent respectively while import duty
on other crude and refined edible oils was kept at 12.5 and 20 per cent
respectively.
International Cooperation
India is associated with a number of international agencies working in the
field of food related matters. These include World Food Programme (WFP),
SAARC Food Bank, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), International
Grains Council (IGC) and International Sugar Organisation (ISO), etc.
SAARC Food Bank
In pursuance of the decision taken in the 14th SAARC Summit held in New
Delhi in 2007, the Heads of States of South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) countries have signed the agreement to establish the
SAARC Food Bank. The Food Bank will supplement national efforts to
provide food security to the people of the region. As per this agreement,
SAARC Food Bank is to have a reserve of foodgrains to be maintained by