Sharp rise in edible oils import

The import of edible oil in July, 1999 was also reported to be smartly higher at 5.35 lakh tonnes as against 2.75 lakh tonnes for the same period last year.

On the export front, soybean meal has shown significant increase during the first four months of the current financial while rapeseed and groundnut meal export fell sharply.

During April to July, 1999 the country shipped 5.28 lakh tonnes of soybean meal as against 2.52 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last year. However, export of rapeseed meal declined sharply to 79,874 tonnes during the same period as against 2.71 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last year. Groudnut mealexport fell to 1,808 tonnes from the previous year8217;s level of 39,120 tonnes, the statement said.

The steep fall in export of rapeseed meal was due to poor crop position and the farmers were getting a better price in the local market than in export market, it added.