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Business Standard
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt seeks public input on draft order to regulate vegetable oil industry
The 2025 draft Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (VOPPA) Regulation Order seeks to replace the 2011 order, and the ministry has sought public comments on the same by July 11 Press Trust of India New Delhi The Union Food Ministry has drafted a new order to regulate vegetable oil products in India by introducing more modern, transparent, and technologically advanced regulatory provisions, with a stronger emphasis on stakeholder participation and adaptability to industry changes. The 2025 draft Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (VOPPA) Regulation Order seeks to replace the 2011 order, and the ministry has sought public comments on the same by July 11. The 2025 draft order emphasises enhanced monitoring with increased surveillance of edible oil imports, production, stocks, and sales, likely using digital tools for better transparency and control. The earlier order was based on the regulatory environment and technology available at that time, focusing on traditional production, stocking, and reporting methods. The draft aims to streamline registration and compliance, possibly introducing online systems and an updated reporting format. The earlier order required periodic reporting but relied on manual or less technologically advanced systems for compliance and monitoring. The draft order is designed to expand or clarify the scope and definitions to include new product types and processing technologies, adapting to changes in the industry. Whereas the 2011 order covered vegetable oil products as defined at the time, which may not fully encompass innovations and new categories that have since emerged. The revision is driven by the need to address current challenges, such as import dependence, price volatility, and the need for improved food safety and traceability, which have become more prominent since 2011. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Bumper harvest, wheat procurement to cross target: Food Ministry
The procurement of wheat for the 2025-26 season is proceeding smoothly in the major procuring States, the Union Food Ministry stated here on Thursday (April 1, 2025). So far, 256.31 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat have been procured for the Central pool against a target of 312 LMT set for this season. Addressing a press conference, Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra expressed confidence in a bumper harvest and added that the procurement is expected to meet the target. When asked about restoring the wheat entitlement for States under the public distribution system (PDS), he said the Centre would review the situation after the procurement process concluded. Mr. Chopra added that the quantity of wheat procured up to April 30 this year had surpassed last year's procurement of 205.41 LMT recorded on the same date. The increase in procurement stands at 24.78%, and all major wheat-procuring States, namely Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, have procured more wheat this year compared to the same period last year. Regarding Uttar Pradesh, where public procurement faced hurdles in recent years due to significant buying by private players, Mr. Chopra noted that 7.55 LMT of wheat have been procured from the State so far this season, exceeding last year's figure for the comparable period. The Ministry stated that 21.03 lakh farmers have benefited this season, with a total Minimum Support Price (MSP) outflow amounting to ₹62,155.96 crore. 'Major contributions to the procurement came from five procuring States, viz., Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, with procurements of 103.89 LMT, 65.67 LMT, 67.57 LMT, 11.44 LMT, and 7.55 LMT, respectively,' the Ministry detailed in a release. Mr. Chopra attributed the enhanced procurement to concerted efforts by his department. He elaborated that State-specific action plans, based on learnings from previous years, were shared with the States well in advance. He added that farmers received payments within 24 to 48 hours, and procurement centres were established at the village level in many districts. On the question of lifting the ban on wheat exports, he commented that it would be premature to discuss allowing such exports at the present time.
