The Hindu Business Line : Edible oil industry seeks safeguards against imports

PROTESTING against the duty-free imports of vanaspati from Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan, the domestic edible oil industry has sought safeguard measures to stop the preferential treatment being given to these countries. They also expressed concern on the import of vanaspati from Malaysia and Indonesia at a nominal customs duty of 30 per cent.

"There is an irrational customs duty structure of 81.6 per cent on the crude palm oil, which is the raw material, and 30 per cent on vanaspati, which is the finished product," the All India Vanaspati Industries Sangharsh Samiti (AIVISS) said in a statement.

AIVISS is a group of various edible oil associations in the country. Apart from having support from the edible oil associations from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, the association has the support of various farmers and agricultural unions.

The association has also threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike if the Government doesn't take immediate action to stop the duty-free imports. It would stage a protest march on January 10 and hand over its memorandum to the Prime Minister.