The Hindu : National : Subsidised edible oil sale through PDS

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Sunday, Jul 27, 2008
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Subsidised edible oil sale through PDS

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Sharad Pawar will inaugurate on Monday a scheme for distribution of subsidised edible oils through the Public Distribution System (PDS) at Tandur in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh.

Under the scheme--that aims to provide relief to ration card-holders from the rising prices of edible oils--about 10 lakh tonnes of imported edible oil would be distributed at Rs 15 a kg.

However, each ration card holder would be eligible for only one kg per month.

So far the Centre has placed orders for import of 2.6 lakh tonnes of edible oils.

Of this, 1.36 lakh tonnes have been shipped and landed at various ports in the country.

Till July 27, 39,800 tonnes were delivered to various States. Public sector undertakings including the PEC, the MMTC, the State Trading Corporation and the National Agriculture Marketing Federation of India were entrusted the job of importing, refining, packing and distributing subsidised edible oils to States.

Andhra Pradesh has been allocated 20,750 tonnes of edible oils per month under the scheme.

Of this, 12,000 tonnes of refined palmolein was handed over to the State government.

According to official sources the dependence of the country on imported edible oil—to bridge the gap in demand and supply—had been 40 per cent of the total consumption in the last three years. This, they say, affects the domestic prices of edible oils.

The Ministry said that in the last two years the price of soyabean oil had risen by 203 per cent in the international market, while the increase in prices domestically had been 72 per cent.

The RBD palmolein prices rose globally by 167 per cent, while domestically the prices appreciated by 45 per cent. Sunflower oil had appreciated in the international market by 195 per cent against an increase of 67 per cent within the country in the last two years.

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