PALM OIL SHOULD BE PROMOTED AMONG INDIA'S HOUSEHOLDS, SAYS TRADE BODY CHIEF
By Shakir Husain
NEW DELHI, Jan 6 -- Indian household consumers should be educated on palm oil's benefits to boost the commodity's share in the Indian market, said Atul Chaturvedi, president of the Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA).
Although India is a large importer of palm oil, the household segment accounts for only 18 per cent of its consumption.
The hotel and restaurant sector consumes 33 per cent of imported palm oil, while 18 per cent goes into biscuits and frying, 13 per cent in the manufacturing of confectionery and hydrogenated vegetable cooking oil, while the non-food industry uses 13 per cent, said Chaturvedi.
He asked industry stakeholders to spread awareness about palm oil among Indian consumers to spur demand, which took a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic as it had affected the food services business.
The negative publicity palm oil gets in Western media also affects household consumer behaviour, he said during an industry webinar.
"This can definitely be countered by targeted communication to the Indian consumer about the goodness of this wonder oil.
"The issue needs serious thought and concerted effort. Both exporters and importers need to start a campaign to ensure guilt-free eating of palm oil by Indian consumers," Chaturvedi said.
India's vegetable oil imports between November 2019 and October 2020 dropped 13 per cent to 13.5 million tonnes from the previous 12-month period, according to SEA figures.
Palm oil constituted about 55 per cent of the imports.
-- BERNAMA
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