Strategies to boost edible oil output won't succeed sans firm purchase plan

Despite MSP spike and higher acreage and yields, India's dependence on imported cooking media has only grown

To lower India’s rising dependence on imported edible oils, the government has, for quite some time, been working on a multi-pronged strategy, the cornerstone of which is announcing a higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) than that for cereals, and improving the procurement of oilseeds whenever prices crash.

Of late, there has also been a renewed focus on expanding the area on oil palm and boosting the production of rice bran oils towards this end.

The immediate trigger might have been a surge in domestic edible oil prices, but steps to boost local oilseed production have been taking place for a