Need to evaluate free edible oil import

The surge in imports has several implications that require a new look at the tariff policy for edible oil

It is frequently claimed that the Green Revolution enabled India to attain self-sufficiency in food. However, in edible oil the country suffered a serious setback in self-sufficiency, instead of improving it. During the early 1990s, imports constituted less than 5 per cent of the use of edible oil. This has gone up to 66 per cent in recent years. India has now become the largest importer of edible oil in the world, with annual imports exceeding 15 million tonnes valued at over Rs 650 billion. This compares with annual imports of around 110,00 tonnes during 1992-93. The surge in imports