Decline in price of edible oil should be passed on to consumers expeditiously: Food Secretary

New Delhi [India], May 4 : The decline in the price of edible oil should be passed on to consumers expeditiously, said Department of Food and Public Distribution Secretary Sanjeev Chopra during a meeting with the leading industry representatives here on Thursday.

The international prices of imported edible oils are on a downward trend which gives a positive scenario to the edible oil sector in India.

Representatives from the Solvent Extraction Association of India (SEAI) and the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) were present to discuss further reduction in the retail prices of cooking oils amidst a fall in the global prices, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a release.

The industry informed that the global prices of different edible oils have fallen by USD 200-250 per tonne in the last two months, but it takes time to reflect in the retail markets and the retail prices are expected to come down shortly.

The leading edible oil associations were advised to take up the issue with their members immediately and ensure that the MRP of each oil be reduced in line with the decline in the international prices of edible oils with immediate effect, the release said.

Price to distributors (PTD) by the manufacturers and refiners also needs to be reduced with immediate effect so that the price decline is not diluted in any way.

It was also impressed that whenever a reduction in price to distributors is made by the manufactures/refiners, the benefit should be passed on to the consumers by the industry and the department may be kept informed on a regular basis. Some compes, which have not reduced their prices and their MRP is higher than other brands, have also been advised to reduce their prices.

Other issues like price data collection and packaging of edible oils were also discussed in this meeting.

Earlier also, in pursuance of the Department's meetings with leading edible oil associations, the MRP of edible oils such as sunflower oil, soyabean oil and mustard oil were reduced by the industry.

The reduction in oil prices came in the wake of reduction of international prices and reduced import duty on edible oils making them cheaper. The industry was advised to ensure that the complete benefit of the reduced duty is passed on to the consumers.

With the edible oil prices beginning to show a downward trend, the consumers can expect to pay less for their edible oils. The falling edible oil prices will help in cooling the inflation as well.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution closely monitors and reviews the prices of edible oils in the country and steps in whenever any intervention is required to ensure the affordability of edible oils which forms an important part of human diet, the release said.

The international and domestic prices of edible oil were on an upward swing during 2021-22 due to many global factors including higher input and logistic cost.