It is heartening that the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee has finally cleared sowing of G.M. Mustard, developed in India by Dr Dipak Pental and his team, in field cultivation during the current Rabi season, SEA President Ajay Jhunjhunwala said in his letter to the members of industry body.
He has expressed the “Need to resume Futures Trading in CPO & Soy Oil” in his letterl
Unfortunately, this matter got stuck in the Supreme Court due to objections taken by some NGO’s. Let us hope the Court allows the commercial trialsof cultivation. We are talking of Atmanirbharta in edible oils and G.M. technology could be a way forward to raise productivity and thereby production of Mustard seed. Mustard Model Farms for Atmanirbharta.
SEA has submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, a Project Proposal of SEA under NFSM (Oilseeds) program during Rabi Season of 2022-23 on Sustainable Rapeseed and Mustard (R&M) to include SEA as an implementing partner of NMEO-OS from Rabi 2022 in the state of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh and Punjab comprising 11 districts and 1005 villages through ICAR-Indian Institute of Mustard Research, Bharatpur. SEA has emphasised that the Association through its members, has a strong district level network in these states with required expertise and sufficient manpower for execution of project activities. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs. 650 lakh and requested the Government to contribute Rs. 558 lakh (86%) and assured that the industry would contribute Rs. 92 lakh (14%). We are eagerly awaiting approval of our proposal. I am pleased to inform you that our association initiated setting up Mustard Model Farm in U.P. also i.e. at Ayodhya, jointly with Solidaridad at a function on 11th November,2022 , by the hands of Shri Nitish Kumar the District Magistrate of Ayodhya and Shri Amit Singh Chauhan, the MLA from Bikapur.
The farmers at the gathering were in large numbers and have responded very enthusiastically for raising the productivity of Mustard crop through Model Farms programme. I may add, this year SEA jointly with Solidaridad have established nearly 1,300 Mustard Model Farms (against last year’s 550 Model Farms) across the States of Rajasthan (530); Madhya Pradesh (300), Punjab (234) and Uttar Pradesh (211). I compliment Solidaridad for their excellent support for this project and particularly Dr. Shatadru Chattopadhayay - Managing Director and and Dr. Suresh Motwani, General Manger(Oilseeds), Asia - Solidaridad Network for their whole hearted support.
Finally a permanent relief to refiners of Ricebran Oil - By-Products Exempted from Excise Duty The Customs & Excise Department had been challenging the verdicts given earlier by various High Courts and Tribunals exempting by-products of refining from Excise duty under Notification No. 89/95-C.E. dated 17.05.1995. This was challenged by many members from our industry in the Supreme Court. I am pleased to inform that this issue is finally decided by Hon’ble Supreme Court in favour of the industry vide Order dated 18.10.2022 passed in the case of Commissioner of Central Excise and Service Tax, Chandigarh vs. Ricela Health Foods Ltd. & Others. This is a very big relief to our members. Dr. A. R. Sharma, our Past President had relentlessly pursued this matter for over two decades and I congratulate him and convey appreciation for his efforts, on behalf of all the members who will greatly benefit from this Order. Exemptions from Stock Limit- eases supply chain Recently, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution exempted Wholesalers and Large retail chains from the purview of Stock Limit. The Association had been requesting for the same, as stringent stock limit on them was rather causing disruptions in the supply chain from producing centres to the final consumers and thus negating the very purpose of Stock Limit perceived by the Government. With this relief, Wholesalers and Large retail chains will be able to stock edible oils of a number of brands in sufficient quantity to provide a wider choice to the consumers and a vibrant market for our industry. Also the procurement of oilseeds from the farmers will increase there by increasing demand for oilseeds and thus increase in returns to the oilseed farmers. Though it must be noted that the Stock Limit imposed on processors for holding edible oils and oilseeds is still applicable. Need to resume Futures Trading in CPO & Soy Oil In the last few months, edible oil importers have faced huge financial losses due to double whammy arising out of abnormal volatility in international and domestic prices on one side and weakening rupee on the other. Incidentally, futures trade in soyoil and crude palm oil (CPO) remained suspended most part of this period depriving importers of hedging their price risks in rupee-denominated soyoil and CPO futures on Indian bourses. SEA has sent a memorandum to Chairperson, SEBIand also to Secretary, Food, Government of India requesting to resume futures trading of at least internationally traded commodities like crude soybean oil and crude palm oil (CPO), in Commodity Exchanges for risk management and price discovery mechanism. Require alternative STE for Copra , Coconut imports The State Trading Enterprise (S.T.E.) assigned by the Ministry of Commerce viz Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India was a issuing NOC against Advance Authorization for import of Copra and Coconut but has recently conveyed its inability to do so. The value added products of copra and coconut processing are exported and form an important constituent of exports under the our vegetable oil sector. We have taken up this matter with the DGFT and expect to soon receive communications for an alternate STE company that will facilitate these imports. SEA Delegation to Argentina I along with Shri Sandeep Bajoria, Past President of SEA will be leading a Trade Delegation of SEA members to Argentina from 25th March to 2nd April of 2023 to study the Argentine sunflower and soybean complex. This will also include participation in the 4th International Sunflower Oils Conference being organised by International Sunflower Oil Association (ISOA) and hosted by CIARA during 29th March to 31st March, 2023. I may add, Shri Sandeep Bajoria is the current President of ISOA and the Executive Director of SEA, Dr. B.V. Mehta is Director of ISOA. The Association is also working out details for one to one meetings with the major Argentine suppliers for Sunflower oil & Soybean Oil including Bunge, Viterra (Glencore), Molinos, COFCO, LDC, ADM, & Cargill. We are also proposing separate B to B meetings with members of CIARA& ACSOJA, apart from Indian Embassy in Buenos Aires. We also plan to visit major soybean crushing plants, Shipping facilities and Commodity Exchange at Rosaria Port, the main hub of the Argentina crushing industry. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the whos-who in production and exports of sunflower oil and soybean oil in the Americas. I would encourage the members having interest in imports of these oils to be a part of this delegation. SEA & Solidaridad Jointly signs MoU with IPOB SEA, Solidaridad and the Indonesian Palm Oil Board(DMSI), renewed the Memorandum of Understanding on 3rd instant, during the Indonesia-India Joint Working Group Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonésia. Dr. Delima Hasri Azahari Darmawan, the Chairperson of the IPOB, Dr. B V Mehta, E. D. SEA and Dr. Suresh Motwani, the Asia Programme Head - Vegetable Oils of Solidaridad Asia, signed the renewal of MOU. The MoU has secured the commitment to institute and continue to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest, to promote the development and use of Indonesian Palm Oil and facilitate the implementation of ISPO, which advance the interests of producers, processors, users, and consumers, through product and market development support activities. Also cooperate on policy matters, where the interests are amenable. Quality Control Order by Ministry of Chemicals &Fertilizers The Ministry of Chemicals &Fertilizers has placed Lauric acid, Acid oil, Palm fatty acids, Rice bran fatty acids, Coconut fatty acid and Hydrogenated rice bran fatty acid under the Quality Control Order of Bureau of Indian Standards. Hence members dealing in these materials need to obtain the Standard Mark under licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards. The Association had represented to the Ministry bringing to their notice that members (importers) are finding great difficulty to convince their foreign suppliers to register under the Act,requesting to resolve the same and till then to differ the enforcement of Orders which was kindly considered and differed to 24th April 2023. I advise the members concerned to utilise the interim periodfor to become compliant with this Orders to avoid inconvenience at a later stage. IPOC and 2023 Price Outlook My hearty Congratulations to Dr. BV Mehta, E.D., Mr. Dorab Mistry, Director, Godrej International Ltd. And Mr. Nagraj Meda C&MD, TransGraph for presenting their papers at the 18th Indonesian Palm Oil Conference and Price Outlook 2023 recently held from 2nd to 4th instant at Bali, Indonesia, participated by nearly 2,000 delegates from across the world. Their papers were very well appreciated by the delegates. 25 Years Celebration of Globoil The Association is the Chief Patron for the Globoil Conferences organised by TEFLAs since its inception 25 years back. TEFLAs is celebrating the 25th year of Globoil Conferences and has organised the “25th Anniversary Globoil India 2022” Conference at Goa on 16th, 17th December 2022. It would indeed be a grand event and I look forward to your participation at the Conference. Forthcoming Events Global Castor Conference 2023& International Conference on RBO I am pleased to inform that the Association will be holding the 21st International conference on Castor viz. the Global Castor Conference 2023 on 24th& 25th February 2023 at Ahmedabad.The Association has already sent the First Announcement-cumInvitation to all members inviting to participate.This will be followed by International Conference on Rice Bran Oil tentatively from 21st to 23rd April 2023 at Hyderabad. Do block these dates for participation in these Conference.
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