SEA urges government to exempt oil, oilseeds from Storage Control Order

KOLKATA: Trade body Solvent Extractors' Association of India ( SEA) has urged the government to exempt oilseeds and oils from the Storage Control Order for free market and movement.

The government under Storage Control Order 1977 has imposed the stock limit on oil and oilseeds and amended from time to time. The current domestic oilseed production and the total vegetable oil consumption in the country made by nearly 70% imported oil. The present Storage Control Order exempt imported edible oil while it is applicable for domestic oils and oilseeds and imposed on the manufacturers and traders. Further imported crude vegetable oil when sold in the domestic market after refining are treated as domestic oil by States Rationing Officers and subject to the Storage Control Order lead to harassment and seizure of oil.

"We have been making fervent appeal and representations to the Government that in current situation Storage Control Order has become irrelevant and lost its utility and requesting the Government to exempt the domestic edible oilseed processors / traders from the purview of stock limit for oilseeds and oils," said a release by SEA.

SEA has sent a memorandum to Ram Vilas Paswan, minister of consumer affairs, food & public distribution pleading to exempt the oilseeds and vegetable oils from the Order for free market and movement.