File Photo
The Soybean Processors' Association of India (SOPA) has urged the government to increase import duty on edible oils by at least 10 per cent to protect farmers from sluggish domestic prices that have discouraged cultivation.
In a representation to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, SOPA Chairman Davish Jain said cheaper imports and depressed domestic oilseed prices have led farmers to reduce or abandon oilseed cultivation.
"We earnestly request your kind intervention to revisit the customs duty structure on imported edible oils and increase the duty by at least 10 per cent at the earliest," Jain said, adding that such a measure will go a long way in restoring farmers' confidence, incentivising greater oilseed production, and reinforcing India's journey towards self-sufficiency.
Source: Online/OFA
Comment Now