Coconut Board urges Centre to withdraw ban on export of edible oil

Kochi, Mar 25 (UNI) The Coconut Development Board in Kerala had urged the Centre to withdraw its decision to ban export of edible oil, including coconut oil for one year.

In a statement here, Board Chairman Mini Mathew said ''India was slowly making its mark in the world market for coconut oil through price competitiveness and the ban would adversely affect the interests of coconut cultivators in the country.'' Earlier, India was lagging behind in export of coconut oil as its products were costlier compared to other coconut growing countries, she noted.

''But in the recent past, the price had come down and we were exporting coconut oil to Gulf countries and Bangladesh,'' she said.

In a notification dated March 17, the Government had banned the export of all edible oils for a period of one year, a move considered to boost the domestic supplies and contain the rising prices of vegetable oils in the country.

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