Patel assures reforms for edible oil sector

The edible oil industry has come a long way from scarcity to abundance in small span of time and credit must be attributed to farmers,enterprises and businessmen,said Praful Patel, civil aviation minister on Saturday while inaugurating the two-day (September 24th and 25th) global oil conference "Globoil India 2005" at Grand Hyatt,Santacruz, Mumbai.

The event was organised by TEFLA'S Conferences & Events Pvt Ltd and was represented by the leading edible oil players from domestic as well international markets. Not only oil meal and oilseed production but the consumption has also gone up dramatically during last few years and the country has made its significant presence in the international edible oil industry.

Now, everybody realizes the significance of oil meal and oilseed without which the ideal food can not be imagined, he added. The whole world is now talking about India.

Those who were earlier trading with China are now taking business in India seriously and this includes business dealings, equity stakes, greenfield plants, import and exports.

Traders and businessmen around the world have started looking India with equal respect.

"Despite India being the second largest edible oil consumer in the world due to oily food habits, the per capita consumption could perhaps be the second last," Patel added.

"I know the basic problems of oilseed and oil meal producers and processors because of my close association with this industry. I can assure you that I will certainly take these issues to the agriculture minister and the commerce minister and try to solve the problems of the industry," he said. He also assured that safeguards measures and protection for the industry.

The honourable prime minister has constituted a committee headed by Patel to suggest measures for infrastructure.

He assured that the committee will work for the growth of infrastructure for the development of all industries including edible oil.

Before the minister delivered his speech, Devi Prasad Khandelia, the former president of the Solvent Extractors' Association briefed the audience and made talked about the importance of edible oil and its present status.

A day before this event, A R Sharma, current president,Solvent Extractors' Association, also assured the board and common members of the association that he would take up the matter with the government and try to resolve all issues with the government.

The managing director of Tinplate Company Ltd said that in urban as well as rural India tin packing is the only solution to the environmental impact on safety of edible oil.

Tinplate is free from rusts and it maintains the level of hygiene in edible oil to maximum period, he added.