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SEA Seeks Interim Coconut Oil and Copra Imports to Stabilize Prices

SEA has petitioned for six- to 12-month import concessions to bolster dwindling supplies, stabilizing domestic coconut oil costs.

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Overview

  • The Solvent Extractors Association has formally asked Agriculture, Commerce and Consumer Affairs ministries for temporary coconut oil and copra import relief.
  • Wholesale coconut oil prices have climbed from around ₹130 per kilogram to more than ₹400 over the past year.
  • Domestic yields have fallen by about 40% over two years following pest infestations and a severe heat spell.
  • Soaring costs have led households, particularly in Kerala, to switch to cheaper alternatives like palm and sunflower oil, raising fears of a permanent demand shift.
  • The association warns that widespread adulteration is undermining consumer confidence and maintains that added imports, even with duties, would relieve supply stress without harming farmers.