Lok Sabha Question No. 4995 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Falling Prices of Edible Oils
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4995

TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  APRIL, 2025

## FALLING PRICES OF EDIBLE OILS

4995.  DR. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH:

Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the domestic prices of edible oils, particularly soyabean have been falling and if so, the details thereof during the last three years, oil/year-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has any statistics regarding production of oilseeds/soyabean in the country for past three years and if so, the details thereof, State/year-wise, especially for Maharashtra for past three years;
- (c) the details of customs duty on crude/refined palm, soyabean, sunflower and other seed oils;
- (d) the details of import and  export  of oilseeds/oils during the past three years, country/oilseed/oil/price-wise;
- (e) the details of current Minimum Export Price (MEP) for crude/refined edible oils;
- (f) whether the Government has changed MEP for edible oils, if so, the details of impact of same on farmers, especially in Maharashtra; and
- (g) whether the Government has decided to prioritise palm oil export export over soyabean and if so, the impact of same on soyabean farmers, especially in Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): Domestic prices of edible oils, including soyabean oil, are influenced by factors such as demand and supply, trade policies, international price fluctuation etc. The trend in wholesale prices of major edible oils over the past three years is as below:

| Wholesale Prices (Rs./quintal)   | Wholesale Prices (Rs./quintal)   | Wholesale Prices (Rs./quintal)   | Wholesale Prices (Rs./quintal)   |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|                                  | Year                             | Year                             | Year                             |
| Edible Oils                      | 2022                             | 2023                             | 2024                             |
| Soya oil                         | 14905                            | 12754                            | 12006                            |
| Rapeseed & Mustard Oil           | 17167                            | 14461                            | 14030                            |
| Groundnut Oil                    | 17903                            | 17987                            | 17883                            |
| Sunflower oil                    | 16909                            | 14266                            | 13021                            |
| Palm oil                         | 12858                            | 10179                            | 10194                            |

Prices of soyabean and other edible oil have shown increasing trend in the recent months. As of February 2025, wholesale price of soyabean oil was Rs.13632 per quintal.

- (b):  Information  regarding  the  production  of  total  oilseeds  and  soyabean  in  the  country, including Maharashtra, for the past three years is provided at Annexure I .
- (c):  Presently, the Basic Custom Duty (BCD) on import of crude soybean oil, crude palm oil and  crude  sunflower  oil  is  20%,  resulting  in  an  effective  duty  of  27.5%  on  these  oils. Additionally, the BCD on refined soybean oil, refined palm oil and refined sunflower oil is 32.5%, leading to an effective duty of 35.75% on these refined oils. For crude rapeseed & mustard oil, as well as groundnut oil, the effective duty stands at 38.5%, while the duty on the refined oil is 49.5%.
- (d): The details on the import and export of major edible oils over the past three years are given at Annexure II A & II B.
- (e): Currently, all varieties of edible oils except mustard oil are allowed for export without any Minimum Export Price (MEP).  However, export of mustard oil in branded consumer packs of upto 5 kgs are permitted for export with a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of USD 900/MT.
- (f): There has been no change in the MEP of any edible oil since 06.04.2018.
- (g): Both palm oil and soyabean oil are free for export, and the Government does not prioritise palm oil over soyabean.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the unstarred questions no. 4995 for answer on 01.04.2025 in the Lok Sabha.

Production of oilseeds/soyabean in the country (Quantity in Lakh Tonnes)

|                | Soyabean   | Soyabean   | Soyabean   | Total Oilseed   | Total Oilseed   | Total Oilseed   |
|----------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
| States         | 2021-22    | 2022-23    | 2023-24    | 2021-22         | 2022-23         | 2023-24         |
| Maharashtra    | 55         | 66.16      | 52.58      | 59.53           | 69.38           | 55.94           |
| Madhya Pradesh | 53.92      | 57.89      | 54.72      | 79.21           | 82.9            | 85.77           |
| Rajasthan      | 9.25       | 12.07      | 11.7       | 86.88           | 94.2            | 93.65           |
| Karnataka      | 4.37       | 5.45       | 4.13       | 11.21           | 14.31           | 7.56            |
| Gujarat        | 3.66       | 3.73       | 3.68       | 68.93           | 72.57           | 72.79           |
| Telangana      | 2.68       | 3.26       | 2.7        | 6.81            | 6.18            | 5.27            |
| Other States   | 0.99       | 1.29       | 1.11       | 67.06           | 74.01           | 75.71           |
| All India      | 129.87     | 149.85     | 130.62     | 379.63          | 413.55          | 396.69          |

Source: DAFW accessed through UPAg portal

## Annexure - II A

Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the unstarred questions no. 4995 for answer on 01.04.2025 in the Lok Sabha.

Table A. Import of edible oils

| Commodities   | Commodities   | 2021-22   | 2021-22            | 2022-23   | 2022-23            | 2023-24   | 2023-24            |
|---------------|---------------|-----------|--------------------|-----------|--------------------|-----------|--------------------|
|               |               | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) |
| Palm Oil      | Crude         | 63.04     | 91.62              | 74.64     | 95.94              | 67.82     | 76.14              |
| Palm Oil      | Refined       | 17.47     | 100.49             | 22.42     | 93.85              | 21.36     | 75                 |
| Soya Oil      | Crude         | 35.59     | 103.2              | 38        | 122.37             | 31.29     | 87.04              |
| Soya Oil      | Refined       | 3.32      | 136.71             | 0.51      | 146.46             | 0.04      | 129.94             |
| Sunflower Oil | Crude         | 20.45     | 105.02             | 20.03     | 125.77             | 32.68     | 80.52              |
| Sunflower Oil | Refined       | 0.25      | 129.52             | 0.04      | 142.63             | 0.02      | 127.86             |

Source: DGCIS

Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the unstarred questions no. 4995 for answer on 01.04.2025 in the Lok Sabha.

Table B. Export of edible oils

| Commodities           | Commodities   | 2021-22   | 2021-22            | 2022-23   | 2022-23            | 2023-24   | 2023-24            |
|-----------------------|---------------|-----------|--------------------|-----------|--------------------|-----------|--------------------|
|                       |               | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) | QTY (LMT) | Unit value (Rs/kg) |
| Groundnut Oil         | Crude         | 0.18      | 137.43             | 1.19      | 157.83             | 1.22      | 147                |
| Groundnut Oil         | Refined       | 0.02      | 189.55             | 0.04      | 179.76             | 0.03      | 235.25             |
| Mustard/ Rapeseed Oil | Crude         | 0.02      | 205.26             | 0.05      | 213                | 0.08      | 173.98             |
| Mustard/ Rapeseed Oil | Refined       | 0.04      | 182.99             | 0.04      | 152.34             | 0.03      | 128.13             |
| Palm Oil              | Crude         | 0.01      | 101.65             | 0.000001  | 134.81             | 0.02      | 82.8               |
| Palm Oil              | Refined       | 0.13      | 97.58              | 0.01      | 131.86             | 0.01      | 100.44             |
| Soya Oil              | Crude         | 0.001     | 124.9              | 0.0005    | 122.77             | 0.005     | 95.43              |
| Soya Oil              | Refined       | 0.1       | 155.05             | 0.15      | 152.78             | 0.14      | 116.04             |
| Sunflower Oil         | Crude         | 0.01      | 103.21             | 0.0002    | 291.59             | 0.0003    | 276.62             |
| Sunflower Oil         | Refined       | 0.07      | 115.17             | 0.05      | 200.65             | 0.19      | 103.78             |

Source: DGCIS

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