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Time of India
28-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
SEA urges CCPA, FSSAI to take action against 'misleading' social media claims on refined oils
The Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) has urged the Central Consumer Protection Authority and food safety regulator FSSAI to take action against misleading content on refined edible oils circulating on social media platforms. In a letter written to CCPA and FSSAI, SEA said a viral video posted by the Instagram account @satvicmovement has been making "alarming and factually incorrect claims" about refined edible oils, labelling them as "chemical-laden" and "toxic". Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category "The video has gained widespread traction, creating confusion among consumers and casting unfounded doubts on the safety of refined edible oils, which form the majority of India's edible oil consumption," SEA said in a statement. The association warned that such misinformation threatens not only consumer confidence but also the livelihoods of farmers and the credibility of India's food safety ecosystem. It stressed the need to provide accurate, science-backed information to the public. To counter the viral video, the industry body has released a comprehensive explanatory note to clarify the scientific and regulatory realities of edible oil refining with evidence-based facts. Live Events SEA pointed out that about 85 per cent of India's edible oil consumption comes from refined oils such as palm, soybean, sunflower, rice bran, and cottonseed. These oils are processed under strict Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms and meet globally accepted Codex Alimentarius standards. The association defended the use of food-grade hexane , saying it is safe and regulated. Hexane is a food-grade solvent commonly used in oil extraction and is removed during processing, with final products meeting the FSSAI-prescribed limit of 5 ppm, which is within safe toxicological thresholds recognised globally. SEA also emphasised that refining is a scientifically necessary and approved process, essential to remove natural impurities and ensure safety, stability, and shelf life of edible oils. It said FSSAI regulations are strictly complied with for processes such as deodorisation. "Alarmist messages like those in the viral video pose broader risks to the agri-economy, potentially discouraging consumers, affecting oilseed farming, and damaging trust in a heavily regulated industry," the association said. PTI
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt Mandates Price Cut on Edible Oils
HighlightsThe Indian government has instructed the edible oil industry to promptly pass on the benefits of a recent Customs duty reduction to retail consumers. On May 31, India reduced the basic Customs duty on imported crude palm oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil from 20% to 10%, increasing the import duty differential between crude and refined cooking oils. The Solvent Extractors' Association has notified its members to implement the duty reduction benefits, with the impact on retail prices expected to be seen in a couple of weeks. The government has asked the edible oil industry to immediately pass on the benefits of a Customs duty cut to retail consumers. It has also directed the industry to share weekly updates of brand-wise maximum retail price of cooking oils with the Department of Consumer Affairs. India reduced the basic Customs duty on imported crude palm oil, sunflower oil and soyabean oil to 10% from 20% on May 31, which effectively increased the import duty differential between crude and refined cooking oils to 19.25% from 8.75%. In a letter addressed to the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA), which represents the cooking oil industry, the department said: 'This adjustment aims to address the escalating edible oil prices resulting from the September 2024 duty hike and concurrent increases in international market prices.' The SEA said it has asked its members to pass on the benefits to consumers. 'There are 700,000-800,000 tonnes of cooking oils in the pipeline, which were imported by paying higher duties. The effect of the duty reduction will be seen in retail prices in a couple of weeks,' SEA executive director BV Mehta told ET. ET has seen the government's letter dated June 2. The SEA wrote to its members on June 4. The edible oil industry had been urging the government to increase the duty difference between crude and refined oils to help domestic refiners compete with cheaper imported refined oil. The duty cut 'not only ensures a level playing field for domestic refiners but also contributes to the stabilisation of edible oil prices for Indian consumers.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Industry bodies hail cut on crude oil customs duty, call it timely support for refiners
Representative image NEW DELHI: Industry associations Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) and Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) have welcomed the government's decision to reduce the basic customs duty on crude edible oils to 10 per cent, calling it a timely intervention that supports domestic refiners and discourages imports of finished products. Announced on Friday, the policy reduces the basic customs duty on crude palm, soybean, and sunflower oils from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. The effective import duty now stands at 16.5 per cent, down from 27.5 per cent. In contrast, refined edible oils continue to attract a 32.5 per cent basic duty, with an effective duty of 35.75 per cent. The move follows concerns raised by the industry over rising imports of refined palmolien. Over the past six months, SEA and IVPA had urged the government to widen the duty gap between crude and refined edible oils to protect local refiners. 'The government's decision to increase the duty differential from 8.25 per cent to 19.25 per cent is a bold and timely move. It will discourage imports of refined palmolien and shift demand back to crude palm oil, thereby revitalizing the domestic refining sector,' said SEA President Sanjeev Asthana. He added that while overall edible oil import volumes may remain unchanged, domestic prices are likely to fall, benefitting consumers. India, which imports over 50 per cent of its edible oil requirements, brought in 159.6 lakh tonnes worth Rs 1.32 lakh crore during the 2023–24 oil marketing year. Key sourcing countries include Malaysia and Indonesia for palm oil, and Brazil and Argentina for soybean oil. IVPA President Sudhakar Desai expressed appreciation for the government's acceptance of their recommendation to expand the duty gap, calling the step a boost for domestic manufacturing. SEA Executive Director B V Mehta described the revised duty structure as 'a win-win situation for vegetable oil refiners and consumers, as local prices will go down due to lower duty on crude oils.' Previously, the narrow 8.25 per cent duty gap between crude palm oil (CPO) and refined palmolien had incentivised finished product imports. Refined palmolien accounted for over 20 per cent of total palm oil imports in 2023–24, rising to nearly 27 per cent in the first half of 2024–25. On May 29, the cost-and-freight (C&F) price of refined, bleached, and deodorised (RBD) palmolien was USD 45 per tonne lower than that of crude palm oil, further skewing trade in favour of refined imports. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
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Business Standard
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India eyes rapeseed meal export revival to China as price gap widens
India is aiming to regain its market share in China's rapeseed meal imports, taking advantage of the commodity's lower price as compared to the international rate amid global supply constraints, industry body SEA said on Monday. Indian rapeseed meal is trading at USD 202 per tonne (Ex-Kandla FAS) as compared to international price of USD 308 per tonne (Ex-Hamburg). This creates a compelling opportunity for Indian exporters. The Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) has urged Ministry of Commerce to negotiate with Chinese authorities for relaxed import conditions. Currently, only three Indian facilities registered with China's General Administration of Customs are permitted to export rapeseed meal to the Chinese market, it said in a statement. China, a major consumer of rapeseed meal for animal feed, sources most imports from Canada and the European Union, where supplies have tightened and prices have risen. "Given the prevailing supply constraints and rising costs, India now has a valuable opportunity to regain its foothold in the Chinese market, if China relaxes its stringent import conditions on Indian rapeseed meal," the industry body said. Meanwhile, India's oilmeal export sector faces growing competition from Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), an ethanol by-product increasingly used as a protein-rich alternative in cattle and poultry feed formulations. "DDGS is now part of the supply chain and the industry will have to adapt its business accordingly," the SEA said, noting that DDGS partially substitutes traditional ingredients like soybean meal, rapeseed meal and de-oiled rice bran in feed. The industry body said this shift could moderate growth in traditional oilmeal exports, requiring targeted strategies to sustain demand in key markets. It also noted that India has harvested a record soyabean crop in kharif season and rape-mustard crop in the rabi season of this year which encouraged higher crushing and increased availability of meal. "However, the export demand is lacking due to disparity in international market." In April this year, oilmeals exports rose marginally to Rs 4,65,863 per tonne, from Rs 4,65,156 per tonne in April 2024. Out of total exports, rapeseed meal shipments were at 2,13,023 tonne and soyabean meal at 2,30,743 tonne in April this year.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China boosts Indian rapeseed meal purchases after tariff on Canadian imports
By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI (Reuters) - China has bought 52,000 tons of Indian rapeseed meal in the past three weeks - four times the amount Beijing imported from India in the whole of 2024 - after Chinese authorities imposed a 100% retaliatory tariff on Canadian imports, industry sources said. India's rapeseed meal exports will help China, the world's top consumer, replace imports from Canada while easing pressure on local rapeseed prices in India, which is sitting on large stockpiles of the widely used animal feed. "Chinese buyers started showing interest in Indian rapeseed meal in the last few weeks due to tariffs on Canadian supplies," said an official with a leading rapeseed meal exporter. China imposed a 100% retaliatory tariff on rapeseed meal and oil imports from Canada starting on March 20. China bought Indian rapeseed meal for prompt shipments at $220 to $235 per metric ton, on a cost and freight basis, said the sources, who declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak to media. India, the world's third-largest rapeseed producer, has struggled to export significant amounts of rapeseed meal to China because of higher prices. In 2024, China imported 2.02 million metric tons of rapeseed meal from Canada, 504,000 tons from the United Arab Emirates, and 135,000 tons from Russia, according to customs data. It bought only 13,100 tons from India. India exported more than 2 million tons of rapeseed meal, but China accounted for less than 1%. "Chinese demand is huge. If its current buying momentum continues in the next few months, it could emerge as one of the biggest buyers of Indian rapeseed meal," said one of the sources. South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam traditionally account for the bulk of India's rapeseed meal exports. "India can raise shipments from around 2 million tons to 2.5 million tons this year, given the surplus in India and shortage in the world market," said B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA). India's rapeseed meal stocks are expected to rise as new season supplies begin to pick up. Weak local demand has pushed Indian rapeseed meal prices to around $200 per ton on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, down from $248 in February and $278 a year ago, according to SEA data. Sign in to access your portfolio
