Rice bran oil producers across India are gearing up to disseminate information about its health benefits. Most units engaged in the production are small and medium players which cannot afford to spend much on brand building, said B V Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India.
He added the substantial cost attached to direct selling deterred two-third of producers from direct marketing.
Many established players blend rice bran oil with popular oils like sunflower, groundnut and cottonseed that make the oil more healthy. But, consumers are not aware of the benefits of the rice bran oil as a standalone product, he added. India processes four million tonnes of rice bran annually to produce about 800,000 tonnes of rice bran oil.
The association has taken the initiative to disseminate information to end-users by creating an interface with diet consultants and nutrition experts. A seminar is being held in Mumbai on Sunday by the association for this, he said. Rice bran oil has mono unsaturated fats, saturated fats and polyunsaturated fats in equal proportion, so it is a balanced oil, he said.
According to Mehta, it is difficult for small players to create visibility in retail chains as the latter’s business model does not encourage small brands. He added that India imports oilseeds worth Rs 40,000 crore every year and it is the third-largest import item. Awareness about rice bran oil may help reduce import of oilseeds as rice bran is available in huge quantities in India.