Hike In Edible Oil Price In Odisha Due To Excess Central Tax: Minister

Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on Tuesday informed the State Assembly that the steep hike in the price of edible oil in Odisha is due to excess tax imposed by the Centre.

The Minister, in a reply during the adjournment motion, said as the price has gone up as the Centre has imposed 5.5% GST, 17.5% agri cess and 21% import duty on the edible oil in spite of its less demand in Odisha at present.

Stating that the requirement of edible oil for Odisha is 3 million tonne a year, Swain said against the requirement of 21 million tonne edible oil in the country, it has come down to 19 million tonne in 2021.

“The states have no role in the regulation of the edible oil price as this is the entire lookout of the Centre,” he pointed out.